Poem of the Month – February 2022 – Jill Wherry

The Poem of the Month for February 2022, selected by 2022 Anthology Editors, Veronica and David Cookson, is Random Thoughts on Love by Jill Wherry. The commended poem for February is Butterfly Steps by Avalanche.


Random Thoughts on Love
Jill Wherry

I’d like to make love to a teacher.
I’m partial to qualified men;
Unless he’s a tad too judgemental,
Awarding me marks out of ten.

I used to make love to a policeman,
One very attached to his gun.
Though I didn’t enjoy this obsession,
His handcuffs were ever such fun.

I refused to make love to a Santa
So sensibly I knocked him back,
Until he seduced me with presents
And I ended up in the sack.… Click for more

FSP 2022 Annual General Meeting and April City Meeting with Open Mic

Monday, 4th April, 2022
from 6:15pm

The Box Factory
59 Regent St, Adelaide, SA 5000

The FSP 2022 Annual General Meeting will be held from 6:15pm with the April Open Mic session following on after a short break. COVID-safe rules will apply.

To participate in the AGM, you must be a current financial member of FSP. Click here to update your membership for 2022.

Here is the AGM Agenda. You can print it out or download it via the icons in the upper menu bar.

Click here to read or download the minutes of the 2021 FSP AGM.


Add your name to the reading list on the night if you want a turn at the mic.… Click for more

New Poets 23 submissions open on 1 April 2022

FSP is pleased to announce that submissions for New Poets 23 will open on 1st April 2022, and close on 31st May 2022. Each volume in the New Poets series publishes short collections of poems from three poets who have not yet published a collection of poetry.

Before submitting your manuscript, please read the rules and formatting requirements carefully. Failure to comply with the requirements will result in your submission being disqualified. The rules can be downloaded as a PDF document below.

Submissions will only be accepted via an on-line form that will become available on 1st April.

Order our latest FSP publications on-line

You can now order the latest publications from FSP on-line using the form below. Please note that we do not have the capability for on-line payments so you need to do an electronic funds transfer (EFT).

Using this form you can order:
Q: FSP Anthology 46
Lament by Michele St. Yves
New Poets 22 by Veronica Cookson, Rob Ferris & Susan O’Brien.

All books are $20 each plus postage.

If there are other specific titles you are after, please make a request in the “Special Instructions” section of the form. We will set-up links for some other titles still in stock soon.… Click for more

FSP March City Meeting and Open Mic

Monday, 7th March, 2022
from 6:00pm

The Box Factory
59 Regent St, Adelaide, SA 5000

$5 to read. 3 minutes per poet. 

Current COVID-19 guidelines (unless they change) allow us up to 75 people in the venue and you must pre-register you intention to attend via the form below.

You also must sign in – via QR code or handwriting – when you arrive.

Add your name to the reading list on the night if you want a turn at the mic. Bring two copies of your poems for the current editors if you want those considered for next year’s anthology, or submit them electronically via the form below straight after the night.… Click for more

Announcing the editors for 2022 FSP Anthology 47

We are very pleased to announce the editing team for the 2022 Friendly Street Poets Anthology. 

Veronica and David Cookson will be handling the Creative Editing, selecting material for publication (including Poem of the Month) from work read each month at the Box Factory and events at affiliated venues.

Margaret Clark will continue as Production Editor, working with Veronica and David in the later stages of preparing the book.

The FSP Committee welcomes all of them and their coming contributions to putting together Anthology No. 47, part of our longstanding and proud tradition of supporting South Australian poets.

In the meantime, you can expect news shortly about the launch of the 2021 Friendly Street Poets Anthology No.Click for more