Last night I went to the launch of this anthology. Max and Jacqui Merckenschlager were also there, and both Max and I were able to read our poems, which meant that two of the five readings were traditional verse…a great opportunity for promotion and a reaffirmation of the support that Melbourne Books has given to us over the years.
It’s the tenth anniversary edition, and, although I’ve only been able to glance through it at this early stage, it provides a valuable snapshot of what is happening in today’s Australian writing competitions. Much of the book is, understandably given their comparative length, devoted to short stories, but about 50 pages showcase poetry competitions ranging from those which offer first prizes in the thousands of dollars through to those with only a couple of hundred dollars available. Poetic styles range from a variety of free verse forms through haiku to our tightly structured rhyming verse, and there are three poems written by children from last year’s Dorothea Mackellar Competition, which Stephen judged.
Apart from Max and I, Brenda, Tom, and Will are also featured, so, given that Melbourne Books (unlike the Puncher and Wattman anthology) is enthusiastically supporting bush verse, please return the favour by buying a copy (or copies!). It costs $29.95 and can be ordered via the AWAW website (
http://www.melbournebooks.com.au/produc ... iting-2017)
Happy reading!
David