FAW AGM

[Heather]

To be shore, to be shore

[Bob Pacey]

I was gonna say that but I thought it toooooo corney.



Bob

[Gary Harding]

That's amazing Glenny.

You know I had exactly the same experience as you many, many years ago.

The Fellowship Of Australian Writers. What a grand title. Just sounds so... exclusive and knowledgeable. Unchallengeable. Warm and fuzzy.

Being a humble person who enjoyed putting pen to poetic paper and who found immense pleasure in the works of the traditional poets such as Henry Lawson and "Banjo" Paterson, I gathered my pennies together and joined the FAW.
Like you I found the hallowed halls of this so-called "Fellowship" to be totally dominated by the devotees of writing which has no particular rules and goes by the misnomer of poetry rather than chopped and diced prose (which is infinitely more accurate). They seemed to have formed a controlling clique with an unwritten aim to downplay, sideline or simply exclude any work daring to rhyme. They had thoroughly infiltrated the corridors of Government Arts Departments where any Awards or Literary recognition in the field of poetry was handed out.

I might have had a naive attitude when I joined FAW, but to my small credit I can be perceptive and I could see then what was really going on. Self-promotion, self-agrandisement, and fake credentials as ..Poets!
Other than taking your membership fee, I found them to be good at nothing in particular, in poetry at least. Giving me some instruction or assistance in the area of rhyming poetry writing was certainly NOT on their agenda. Workshops? haha ... yeah, right.
In the press, I know sometimes Poets can unfortunately be depicted as esoteric people, disconnected from the mainstream of society ... permanant coffee-shop residents.. .beatniks, or in the case of female poets, hairy-legged Stalinists. If the style of writing promoted by the FAW that I saw then mirrors the type of people that write that stuff, then sadly that media perception is well founded.

I suggest that public perception is most unhelpful to others (like us) who appreciate the pleasure of real Australian poetic writing... and the message it can convey.

So we are a simple Association of Bush Poets. A group of guys and girls who within our varying poetic capabilities promote balladry and downright "understandable" poems.
If any group is "exclusive" it could be argued that we are.... it is no small task to write with rhyme, meter and plain sense. Any mug can pick up a novel, get out the scissors and cut it up and repaste it in some random order and call it Poetry.. as per the FAW style. The Ern Lalor Malley story is well known.

Perhaps we should rebadge ourselves as The Commonwealth Institute of Popular Poetic Practitioners. Upmarket. But then if we really are as upmarket as we think, (and superior?), it is arguable that a title is not needed. Let our work speak for itself. They can have the misleading title... we have no need of it.

Fellowship of Australian Writers... Indeed!? I agree Glenny. It is a good laugh, even if sad.

THAT was MY very personal experience with the so-called FAW. Certainly that is not to say others may not have had a totally different experience!! Probably have... and if so, well good luck to you! It is just that I went in with an open mind and found they were not MY cup of poetic tea. That's all... horses for courses... or causes.. or whatever...

[Mal McLean]

Strike me pink.....

[David Campbell]

Not my experience, Gary. My local FAW group was very welcoming when I joined, and most appreciative of rhyming verse. I've run workshops with them. Like Zondrae, I've had success with bush verse at the North Shore FAW...plus, over the years, at FAW branches based in Eastwood/Hills, Mudgee Valley, Manly, Sunshine Coast, Tuggerah, Far North Coast, Macarthur, North Arm Cove, Port Macquarie/Hastings, and Wollondilly. I see this as a very encouraging sign that rhyming verse and free verse can co-exist very amicably in local branches. It's on the broader literary scene that problems arise.

There are also other local groups that offer competition opportunities for bush poetry. Bob and I tied for second prize in that section of last year's Liz Huf Memorial Awards. Here in Victoria the Eaglehawk Dahlia and Arts Society run an annual comp which includes a bush poetry section, and the Yarram Community Learning Centre and Coal Creek comps also recognise bush poetry. The Laura Literary Awards in SA accept bush verse, as does the Ipswich Poetry Feast in Queensland. There's also Freexpression magazine, which regularly publishes bush verse and rewards it in its annual poetry competition.

David

[Mal McLean]

Well, I thought I might have a crack at this as I occasionally dabble in new formalist verse:

http://www.griffith.edu.au/humanities-l ... ick-prizes

Check out the prize money! Interesting, eh? Now check out the previous winners.

I tried but I can't write like that. Surely, (my poetry soul says) these people are having a lend of each other but no one is game to own up first. The winners must have laughed all the way to the poetry bank.

Still, it is art. It is recognised as poetry and is the preeminent force to be reckoned with. Do not despair. The forces of change are at work in the USA, if somewhat slowly. As new formalism wanes and waxes and the idea of sound rhythm as an emphasising poetic tool gains acceptance and the gulf between formal poetry and contemporary verse begins to narrow. We are writing in an age between the tides.

This post seems to cross two threads at least so I will leave that to you.

I have long argued that even though we are in a preservation mode the onus of bridging the gulf lies with us. Despite (or because of) the prejudices and the at times outright snobbery that we as a group and as individuals have suffered, it is up to us to create events that encourage modern contemporary poets to engage. A small sacrifice to get some bums on seats. Engaging with the seats of higher learning is essential. Infiltration of university literature sites may sound a bit radical but essentially we have to get some exposure and we can do that by promoting "slam" events. We should be engaging with "humanities" academics and arguing the value of preservation of all poetry works. I think we should engage at a national level with organisations such as "Poetry Queensland" and other state and national bodies. These steps won't be easy or even fruitful in the short to medium term, but who are we if not people with long memories.

Personally,I don't describe myself as a "bush" poet. I think that term may do more harm than good. I describe myself as a poet. I argue, if somewhat unconvincingly at times, that all poetry is good poetry.

In any event, to do nothing is unacceptable.

At North Pine Bush Poets this Sunday we will begin a review of our annual festival. There are those who oppose any change, others who would like to see a symposium style event and a range of other options including shortening the festival.Wally Finch argues eloquently that we already have the biggest demographic at our disposal and we are simply misusing our resources.

I will keep you informed.

Yours in Poetry

Mal Beveridge

[manfredvijars]

Perhaps we should rebadge ourselves as The Commonwealth Institute of Popular Poetic Practitioners. Upmarket. ...

... how about the, "Colony of Rhyming Australian Poets" (CRAP) ???

...

[Gary Harding]

Good one Manfred! haha! love it!

well...as I say, it was my OWN experience with the FAW.

If others find them different and the FAW have now found the Holy Grail of rhyme, then that has to be a good thing.

I originally went into the FAW believing that everyone shared the same view of Henry Lawson.. that he was a god-like figure... and boy did I come down with a thump!

I found myself reading poetry-stuff I simply did not understand and having people actually applauding it. Mind you, that is likely more a reflection of my poor literary comprehension than a verdict on such profound poetic writing.

Sheer insanity.

I mean I have enough insanity of my own to deal with without FAW people calling nonsense-writing poetry.

On another poetry site ages ago I responded to a re-post of my definition of Bush Poetry... just a bit of fun.... (I mean, I guess it really doesn't matter how you define it except that if someone asks you "what do you mean bush?".. then you need an answer or look silly. I did an interview on radio ABC and was waiting for that curly one, which thankfully did not arrive.)

In that site-post I referred to the Victorian Premier's Literary Award.

At a public information meeting on it, one of the judges referred to Henry Lawson as a drunkard. "Oh, Lawson, he was a drunkard wasn't he." I still remember those exact words. A judge no less!!
The FAW were right there.

I stood up, recited a couple of verses of a Lawson poem, uninvited of course, and walked out, in front of a big audience. No problem. As I said then, I think the shades of Lawson, Paterson and Dennis would have appreciated the joke, even if the "judges" didn't!

I guess this is the the broader literary scene that David refers to, rather than at some of the local branches. A pretty important level though.

So.. I find it impossible to come to any sort of accommodation with those who consider Lawson to be a drunkard. Or who treat Australia's great poets (and their disciples) in a patronising manner. If they make those statements in the name of the Premier of Victoria, through his Arts Minister, then it is to their and the Victorian Premier's eternal disgrace, and profound literary ignorance.

So I admire Glenny for levering some grudging recognition from the FAW. Well done Glenny. Fantastic.! You are GREAT!!!!!! BIG hugs and kisses.

In the end it is The People with their own voice who are the Customers and Arbiters. Not the FAW. We, as poets are mere tradesmen surely?

[David Campbell]

You've made some excellent points there, Mal, particularly your emphasis on the onus of "bridging the gulf" being with us. I know exactly what you mean about the Josephine Ulrick Award...coincidentally I submitted a poem to that comp yesterday. It's free verse so I wouldn't dream of posting it here (could be a site meltdown!). I really struggle with understanding the poems of the past winners and sometimes wonder if they're just having us on, but I stick at it because it's a challenge and one way of communicating with that fairly rarefied area of the poetry scene. I don't expect the free versers to engage with what I do in bush poetry unless I'm prepared to have a go at their world. That's one reason I'm so keen on contemporary issues, because that's what they're most likely to be writing about. It's also why I've entered 'Riders on the Wind' in that major book award. The judges may very well be surprised or amused or dismissive, but at least it's 'out there' with the rest. Respect only comes with a bit of understanding...maybe not tomorrow, but you've got to start somewhere!

I reckon your 'Mistress of My Seasons-New England Autumn' is exactly the sort of poem that could do some gap-bridging. It's very traditional in format, and yet it has that love of words and complex imagery that appeals to the free verse community.

ere winter's frosty tongue and tail
will lick and whip late summer's sail

Great stuff for anyone who loves poetry, no matter what their preference!

Cheers
David

[Maureen K Clifford]

and good tradesmen are hard to find Gary

Good discussion going on here folks - not bad for a group of CRAP poets