Poetry workshop

[Heather]

Today I attended a poetry workshop arranged by the Henry Lawson Memorial and Literary Society in Melbourne.

David Campbell and Stephen Whiteside presented the workshop which was attended by eight poets.

David and Stephen were most informative and are both very generous with their time and knowledge. It was also a good opportunity to exhange notes with other poets. One lady had come all the way from a place near Byron Bay just for the workshop.

David wrote a funny poem about all the people that attended and Stephen entertained us with one of his childrens' poems.

Had a great day.

Thanks David and Stephen.

Hopefully a couple will join the forum when they return home.

Heather

[Kym]

Glad everyone had a good time. It's good to know that there are workshops happening out there. They are few and far between, but every one helps increase interest in bush poetry, so good on you David and Stephen!

[Stephen Whiteside]

Thanks Heather, Kym.

The Henry Lawson Society in Victoria did a great job putting the day together. Noel Tennison, Editor of 'The Lawsonion', did a great job organising the event, and the efforts of Richard Tate, President, to welcome us all on the day were also very much appreciated.

Richard and Noel have only been involved with the Henry Lawson for a short period of time, and they have already made their presence felt. Noel is doing a great job rejuvenating the newsletter, and there is also now a web-site, which looks very promising.

Noel is putting out a call for contributions, so if you think you have anything to offer, get in touch with him. Membership does not cost very much, and they are definitely offering value for money at the moment, with quite a busy calendar of events. Jim Howard (Lawson impersonator), Barry Dickens (esteemed playwright) and Hugh McDonald (singer songwriter - author of 'The Diamantina Drover' and renowned Lawson afficionado - check out his 'Lawson' album) are all appearing from time to time.

[David Campbell]

Thank you, Heather and Kym (congratulations for Ipswich!). It should be noted that Heather presented a terrific poem of hers...beautifully written, very evocative.

As well as Yvonne from near Byron Bay, there were Naomi from Gosford and three others (including Heather) who had travelled good distances from country Victoria. In other words, only three attendees came from suburban Melbourne. Maybe, in poetry terms, Melbourne is the free verse capital of Australia?

David

[Neville Briggs]

I think that workshops are a great event for people interested in bush poetry.
What a pity only three people from a large metropolis like Melbourne. I wouldn't know why, but it seems a disheartening turn out for the organisers.

Now if you could get someone like Jack Thompson to do the Henry Lawson recitation who knows..big crowd. It suppose that might smack of crass commercial name dropping , but that's how the world turns now, perhaps there's no choice.

[Heather]

There were eight that attended the workshop all up and because of the small number there was more time each person to have their say and to share.

Neville I don't think those attending the workshop would have learnt nearly as much from Jack Thompson as they did from David and Stephen.

[Zondrae]

Morning everyone,

David, perhaps the workshop was not widely advertised. It is very puzzling as to why numbers vary so much. At the several festivals where I have offered to conduct workshops I have had mixed results. One time I had more people turn up than attended the fiddle workshop with the international fiddler. (and it was an Irish festival and therefore many fiddle players attending). this past weekend I was at Kangaroo Valley festival and had only two people turn up and one of them was an accomplished poet (and judge). So the three of us had a great discussion, I just breezed through the material I had prepared and I learned as much as anyone.

[manfredvijars]

... work with what you've got, hone your craft and GIVE freely ....

[Stephen Whiteside]

Jack Thompson is a superb peformer, of course, but I don't think he has much experience as a writer.

[Bob Pacey]

Well said Manfred.


Robert