August City Meeting: Open Mic and Launch of Anthology 48

Monday 5 August 2024
Open Mic: 6:15pm
Anthology Launch: 8:15pm

The Box Factory
49 Regent Street, Adelaide

Following the Open Mic, please join judge Mike Ladd, editors Maria Koukouvas, Rob Ferris, and Friendly Street Poets for the launch of our annual Anthology 48, Mimesis.

The book will be unveiled, Satura and Nova prizes announced, readings plucked from the anthology, followed by a time for mingling, sparkling and enjoying food and drink with your favourite poets.

Long list nominations for the Satura Prize (best poem in the Anthology)

This Empty Space – jacqui merkenschlager
The Art Teacher – Helen Parsons
The Almanac of Last Things – Helen Parsons
Samos – Sue O’Brien
Nganno Mt Lofty – Rob Ferris
El Capitan – Rob Ferris
My body and me – Mandy Toczek McPeake
Dementia Ward Wishlist – Judy Dally
The Bull – Jules Leigh Koch
Willy willy – David Cookson
Things I learned from someone else’s grandmother – Helen Hutton
Going Home – Helen Hutton
The Baby Locket – Carey Hamlyn
Storm – Steve Evans
Spur Winged Plovers – Murray Alfredson
Here# – Rory Harris
Sister – Rory Harris
Mass – Rory Harris
Poet – Peter Mahoney
Morning walk, 37 degrees – Louise Nicholas
Piano – Louise Nicholas
Nature on the table – Heather Nimmo
Lot 22 – Valerie Volk
Loose Limb Man – Martha Landman
Hello this is David – Sarah Radford
Memory Bone Soup – Maria Koukouvas (Vouis)
Bucket of Fish – Maria Koukouvas (Vouis)
Me – Beth Baile
Free Fall – Stella Damarjati

Long list nominations for the Nova Prize (best poem written by a first-time published poet in the anthology)

Poet – Peter Mahoney
Me – Beth Baillie
Free Fall – Stella Damarjati

For the Open Mic…

$5 to read.… Click for more

Poem of the Month – June 2024 – Virginia Hussin

The Poem of the Month for June 2024, selected by 2024 Anthology editors Ivan Rehorek (Avalanche) and Martha Landman, is Sympathy for Iago by Virginia Hussin. The commended poems are How To Meet A Deadline by Sue O’Brien and Ice Man by David Harris.

Sympathy for Iago
Virginia Hussin

Our year 12 English teacher, Mrs Candy
Is most perplexed – one could say unsettled
Because so many of us feel sorry for Iago.
Iago is supposed to be the villain

But we variously argue
That he was working-class
That the world was stacked against him
That he didn’t have the advantages
In life that for example, Cassio had
Let alone the handsome Othello
Who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth

What generation were we to be saying these things?… Click for more

Poem of the Month – April 2024 – Bruce Greenhalgh

The Poem of the Month for April 2024, selected by 2024 Anthology editors Ivan Rehorek (Avalanche) and Martha Landman, is Say Cheese by Bruce Greenhalgh. The commended poems are Suddenly the Sky by Margaret Dingle and The Famous Last words of the Male Driver by Beth Baillie.

Say Cheese
Bruce Greenhalgh

In my younger years
I wanted to be a cheese.
I wasn’t aiming high.
I wasn’t ‘getting ahead of myself’.
I wasn’t thinking Camembert or Brie,
more your Cracker Barrel or tasty cheddar,
even processed cheese sandwich slices would do.

In time though, I learnt I wasn’t cut out to be a cheese,
and that was disappointing.… Click for more

Poem of the Month – March 2024 – Nigel Ford

The Poem of the Month for March 2024, selected by 2024 Anthology editors  Ivan Rehorek (Avalanche) and Martha Landman, is Musings from a beer drinker by Nigel Ford. The commended poem is Still Learning by Veronica Cookson.

Musings from a beer drinker
Nigel Ford

I’m drinking beers
And I went to the toilet
Because
I’m drinking beers
And I went to the fridge
On my way back
To get another beer
And I thought
You idiot
You’ve still got half a glass of beer
Then I thought
You idiot
You haven’t the class for glass
You’re drinking cans.
Like I wrote
I’m drinking beers.… Click for more

FSP May 2024 City Meeting and Open Mic

Monday, 6th May, 2024
from 6:00pm

The Box Factory
59 Regent St, Adelaide, SA 5000

All welcome!

$5 to read. 3 minutes per poet.
Free to listen.

You must be a member of FSP to submit your poems for consideration for publication in the annual anthology. Bring two printed copies of your poems with your name and contact details to submit for next year’s anthology, or submit them electronically via the form below after the session.

The meeting will be held under current COVID-19 safety plans if required.

… Click for more

FSP Committee for 2024

Following the recent AGM, FSP is pleased to announce the new Management Committee for 2024-2025:

  • Nigel Ford (Convenor)
  • Kristy Willet (Treasurer)
  • Veronica Cookson (Secretary and Membership)
  • Susan O’Brien
  • David Cookson
  • Fred Willet
  • Erica Jolly
  • Murray Alfredson

We thank out-going Convenor, Susan O’Brien, and Committee Members, Stef Rozitis, Margaret Fensom (Dingle) and Helen Hutton, for all their hard work supporting FSP. Helen will continue on as Publishing Editor for the forthcoming FSP publications.

+ More