The place of children's poetry in the bush poetry movement

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Stephen Whiteside
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The place of children's poetry in the bush poetry movement

Post by Stephen Whiteside » Fri Dec 05, 2014 10:38 am

Lately I've been pushing my collection of poetry for children pretty hard, as some may have noticed.

I don't feel entirely comfortable about this, but it seems to be the way of the world these days. I am also conscious that it is not just 'about me'. The publisher has invested a fair amount of time, energy and money in the book, and they want it to succeed. To some extent, it is probably also fair to say, I am carrying with me the futures of other children's poets, and the genre of children's poetry. If the publisher feels my book has justified its existence, it may open the door for others.

I am also conscious that the whole notion of writing rhyming verse for children sits rather uncomfortably within the broader bush poetry movement. To some extent this puzzles me, and to some extent it doesn't.

Speaking in very simplistic terms, the bush was never a natural environment for either women or children. In the pioneering days, when bush poetry first came to prominence, men vastly outnumbered women in the outback, and it was a very hostile environment for young children.

Paterson wrote a little for children. Lawson scarcely anything at all that I can recall. I don't know of anything at all written for children by Will Ogilvie, Barcroft Boake, John O'Brien, Thomas Spencer, W. T. Goodge, Ed Brady, Charles Souter, Dorothea Mackeller, or Mary Gilmore. No doubt there are some things I have missed.

C. J. Dennis wrote "Book for Kids", of course. It is a great book, but was published in 1921, by which time the bush poetry wave can be said to have largely broken, and it would seem to have been something of an afterthought to his own writing career.

I do know that the Bush Laureate awards received very little poetry that had been written for children, which is why the the category of "Children's Poem of the Year" was dropped.

As I have noted before, there are a number of writers for children active today who write in rhyming verse, but almost none of them would see themselves as bush poets.

Zita Denholm, whose review of my book I have posted here, is a publisher with Triple D Books. One of the great services they have provided is to keep in print a number of Australian children's poets that otherwise would probably not be.

These include the following:

Max Fatchen
Bill Scott
Anne Bell
Colin Thiele
Christobel Mattingley

Again, none of these poets would probably be regarded as bush poets.

ABPA members that do write for children? Carmel Randle and Veronica Teal are two names that come to mind. Carmel died earlier this year, and I don't think Veronica is very active these days.

Greg North, Jim Haynes, Russell Hannah, Geoffrey Graham, David Campbell and Mick Coventry all still occasionally write for children.

Any thoughts, anyone?
Stephen Whiteside, Australian Poet and Writer
http://www.stephenwhiteside.com.au

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David Campbell
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Re: The place of children's poetry in the bush poetry moveme

Post by David Campbell » Fri Dec 05, 2014 3:35 pm

Keep pushing, Stephen! The situation with any sort of writing these days is such that you've got to do your own promotion because, even with the support of a publisher, it's tough going. I still write children's poetry, but don't post it here because, as Stephen indicates, very few people seem interested. There have only been five contributions to the children's section in 2014, and the dropping of poetry for children from the Bush Laureate Awards is significant. Although we have "Adults Writing for Children" as a category in the Toolangi competition and that gets some support (about 30 submissions this year).

But Stephen has opened up an important discussion, particularly in the light of the other thread about entries written by children in the Ipswich and Dorothea Mackellar competitions. So I'd like to add a dimension for those interested in this area of poetry...what do we write about? Here's an example to illustrate. Below is a poem of mine that was published in a book for children back in 2003...but, at the publisher's insistence, without one stanza. Pick which one was omitted, although it's not too hard!

My Boyfriend

My boyfriend is a total spunk,
the hottest guy in school.
He's tall and blonde and super-fit,
and oh-so-very cool.

My girlfriends think he's simply ace...
they all wish they were me,
so they could kiss and cuddle him,
and sit upon his knee.

He's thoughtful, kind, and gentle too,
he likes to buy me things...
like bracelets of the finest gold,
and pretty silver rings.

He sends me little notes each day,
and texts me on the phone
to tell me that while he's around
I'll never be alone.

He's good at sport, the very best,
but modest all the same...
he helps the others in the team,
and always plays the game.

My mother likes him, so does dad,
my brother thinks he's great.
In fact, it's hard to get away
when we go on a date.

They've said that he can stay the night,
they wouldn't make a fuss...
and if we'd like they’ll all go out
and leave the house to us.

I love my boyfriend, yes I do,
he really makes me swoon.
But time is rushing by so fast...
I hope I meet him soon!

© David Campbell, 2003

Yep, the second-last stanza got the boot...too controversial. I didn't make a fuss at the time, but would now. It's the sort of issue that parents and teenagers have to deal with and, having seen some of the topics covered by the kids in those two competitions, it wouldn't seem to be out of place. So I reckon there's a place for writing rhyming verse for children that goes further than it might have in the past...by tackling current social issues. Poetry can be a powerful medium for presenting challenging ideas, and, in this day and age, there seems no good reason why young people should be quarantined. It might also attract them to our poetry.

David

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Stephen Whiteside
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Re: The place of children's poetry in the bush poetry moveme

Post by Stephen Whiteside » Fri Dec 05, 2014 4:48 pm

You raise an interesting point, David - the writing of rhyming verse for teenagers.

As I understand it, this is an especially tough market. My book - and most of my poetry - is aimed at kids aged about 9 - 13, before the hormones really start to kick in. The children's book market, where rhyming verse is also popular, is younger still.

I'm wondering where rhyming verse for teenagers would find its place. There are a number of anthologies which are large enough to carry poems for a very wide age range, including teenagers, so that would be an obvious possibility. I think a rhyming verse novel for teenagers could possibly also work well, though I imagine most publishers would see it as a fairly big risk.

Part of the trouble is that, while children read the books, they may not necessarily buy them. If the 'gatekeepers' are upset too much, it becomes a commercial problem...
Stephen Whiteside, Australian Poet and Writer
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Re: The place of children's poetry in the bush poetry moveme

Post by Stephen Whiteside » Fri Dec 05, 2014 7:23 pm

Thanks, Matt!
Stephen Whiteside, Australian Poet and Writer
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Re: The place of children's poetry in the bush poetry moveme

Post by alongtimegone » Fri Dec 12, 2014 11:27 am

Nothing to feel uncomfortable about Stephen. Your book of poems is a product. Personal? Yes! But a product nevertheless. You have as much right to push it commercially as does any other producer.
Would you entertain the idea of taking your poems to a weekend market. Perhaps even having some recorded on CD or tape and be playing on site?
Wazza

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Re: The place of children's poetry in the bush poetry moveme

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Fri Dec 12, 2014 12:22 pm

Push away Stephen - you've earned it. I sent details to our Fiction , Kids and Books editor for you

Meg Helyer will use it - Meg Hellyer [meg.hellyer@theaustraliatimes.com.au]
How wonderful, and a big congrats to Stephen- looks great!
Our Christmas edition's already gone to the designers, but I'll see if I can slip a mention in- if not, will definitely include it for January :)
I have been so lucky to have had your help this year- the Fiction Magazines would not be what they are today without the writers you have referred our way
Ashlee Bye [ashlee.bye@theaustraliatimes.com.au] would probably review it for you in the new year if you make contact with her -
Unfortunately we've already allocated articles for both the december indie mag and the january books amy. Both mags are quite full and i already have reviewers doing multiple books.
and I think the Editor of TAT kids would be interested if you contact her - anies.hannawati@theaustraliatimes.com.au

Cheers

Maureen
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Re: The place of children's poetry in the bush poetry moveme

Post by Stephen Whiteside » Fri Dec 12, 2014 12:54 pm

Thanks for your support, Wazza and Maureen - and thanks for the contacts, too, Maureen. I will send them copies of the book.
Stephen Whiteside, Australian Poet and Writer
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