Poems of the Month – August 2026 – Jude Aquilina & phil saunders

The Poems of the Month for August 2026, selected by 2026 Anthology editors Elizabeth Salna and Erica Jolly, are You can’t keep a good witch down by Jude Aquilina and Fresh Blood – Ode to Young’uns by phil saunders. The commended poems are An Unforgotten Song by Darrell Coggins, Sophia’s garden, a ‘sabbath space’ (with Wendell Berry in mind) by Dawn Colsey, Dead Weight (For Russell) by Ros Schulz, and Backstreet Shoes by Michelle Slatter.

You can’t keep a good witch down
Jude Aquilina 

Sweeping across a sallow moon
silhouetted cat riding up front,
the cliched witch-woman was pitched.… Click for more

New Poets 27 and Single Poet 2026 winners

The winners and commended entries for New Poets 27 and Single Poet 2026 were announced by the two judges at the Box Factory on Friday 7th August 2026.

New Poets 27 was judged by Rob de Kok:

WInners:

  • Verity Laughton with Swallows
  • Rob McKinnon with ember rain…
  • Tracy McNally with Wishing on Satellites

Highly commended: Polly Cass with Rivers and Roads

Single Poet 2026 was judged by Steve Brock:

Winner: Helen Hutton with the syntax of silence

  • Runner-up: Chelsea Avard with telling secrets
  • Highly commended: Amanda Solly with Encyclopedia Ephemera
  • Commended: Peter Mahoney with Putain Quais.

The new volumes will be launched on Saturday, 12th December at the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Thebarton.… Click for more

Launch of FSP Anthology 50 Quintessence

  • Editor – Ben Adams
  • Editor – Val Braendler
  • Judge – Shaine Melrose
  • Nova Prize winner – Kathryn von Bergen
  • Satura highly commended – Rory Harris
  • Satura highly commended – Virginia Hussin
  • Satura commended – Valerie Volk
  • Erica Jolly

FSP 50th annual anthology Quintessence edited by Val Braendler and Ben Adams was launched at the Effective Living Centre on 29th August 2026.

Each year, two prizes are awarded to poems published in the anthology: the Satura Prize for the best poem; and the Nova Prize for the best poem by a poet published for the first time in an FSP anthology.

This year’s judge for the prizes was Shaine Melrose.… Click for more

FSP September City Meeting & Open Mic

Friday 4th September 2026
doors at 6:00pm for 6:30pm start

The Box Factory
59 Regent St, Adelaide, SA 5000

$5 to read, free to listen.

Share some poetry, listen to others reading and enjoy the friendly poetry vibes of the biggest and oldest ongoing poetry group in the Southern Hemisphere.

As usual, a strict 3-minute time limit applies, including any introductions, explanations and post-scripts. Bring two typed / printed copies of your poem with all your contact details on the back of the pages for submission to the next FSP Annual Anthology. You also can submit your poem electronically via the form below.… Click for more

Poems of the Month – July 2026 – Maeve Archibald & Mike Riddle

The Poems of the Month for July 2026, selected by 2026 Anthology editors Elizabeth Salna and Erica Jolly, are Life’s Uncertainties by Maeve Archibald and Men of Small Islands by Mike Riddle. The commended poems are Prelude by David Cookson, Nocturne by Martha Landman, Abdullah by Susan O’Brien, and Odysseus Kicks for Goal by Barbara Preston.

Life’s Uncertainties
Maeve Archibald

What If lions had a bad hair day
would the hairdresser curl up in fear
What if peacocks were shy
would politicians open their eyes
What if song birds forgot the tune
would we pass there a weary time

What if kookaburras forgot how to laugh
would we recognise the joke
What if the world stopped spinning
would we all fall into love or out
What if the sky hid her face
would we know the black hours spent
What if your words fell like leaves
would we be led to the question
What if something long forgotten surfaced
would we fill that unforgiving minute

What if I fell over the edge of the future
would I dare to leave friends and all
What if my true feelings overstepped the mark
would you still go hand in hand as my comrade
What if the mournful mopoke should call my name
would I set foot on the road less travelled
What if Wagner evoked my ring of destiny
would my sense of wonder begin a song cycle

.… Click for more

FSP Anthology #50 Launch!

Saturday 29th August 2026
3:00pm

Effective Living Centre
26 King William Road, Wayville
Part of the Church of Christ site, easy to reach by car, tram, bus or train.

Come along and join with us to continue FSP’s 50th Anniversary celebrations with the launch of the 50th FSP Anthology, edited by Val Braendler and Ben Adams.

Please bring $30 cash or card to buy a copy of our big edition and be ready to read your published poem if you wish.

We’d appreciate some good people providing a shared plate for afternoon tea and nibbles.  FSP will supply a few casks of vino and a few specialties.… Click for more

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