June

We had a terrific time last Saturday with just enough space to accommodate everyone. Catherine read from her poetry collection Marriage for Beginners in the first half and then some Rapunzel from her new collaborative work with Matt Ottley after the break. It was very well received.

Congratulations to Angelina Mirabito for her winning poem, ‘Alone together', which will be published in the coming issue of Page Seventeen. The judges certainly had their work cut out for them. (Speaking of the judges, check out Tiggy’s new poetry collection. You can order them from her blog.)

And to think while all this was going on it was raining in my house! When I got home from Stopping all Stations later that night my house was awash. The cistern in our upstairs toilet cracked and gushed out onto the floor, then kept trying to refill. It was a shocking thing to come home to. My legs were jelly. No lights either – trying to discover the extent of the damage with torches. About 60% of the house will now need renovating! The carpets have already gone and it is a very sad sight downstairs with cold concrete floors scattered with little tufts of red fibre remnants and dripping ceilings. All my clothes are scattered around friends’ houses, drying out. I’m sleeping at the local motel!

It’s a Stopping all Stations I won’t forget in a hurry!

Check back for details of next month’s gig with Earl Livings as feature.

Catherine Bateson

The June 19 event is going to be extra special. Not only do we have Catherine Bateson as feature, one  lucky open reader will have their poem published in Page Seventeen. Better start writing …

Catherine Bateson’s third collection of poetry, Marriage for Beginners, was published by John Leonard Press late last year. She is an award-winning writer for children and young adults. Currently she’s working on a collaborative music theatre piece with Western Australian based composer and picture book writer and illustrator, Matt Ottley. Catherine also teaches in the GippsTAFE Professional Writing and Editing course.

May

Skimbleshanks reports that apart from the batty MC and her menopausal memory malfunctions, all is well. And he particularly enjoyed the singing. In fact he found himself humming a little tune all the way back to the luggage van. He was particularly moved by Kristin’s poem about the string in the night-time. He thinks he’ll remember that one for some time to come. Quite a touching image – a mum and her young son joined up at the wrists with a piece of string to keep them connected.

Thanks to all the open readers, who helped make the afternoon so enjoyable.

Not as many pics this time as the photographer was a tad zealous with her flash. The good news is next month Helen will be back - with camera-toting Carl.

Stay tuned for news about the June event.

Kristin Henry

Start dusting off your poems and stories or get writing. Stopping all Stations is on again on Saturday May 15 at the Station Street Cafe. Come along and hear

Kristin Henry 

who thinks the human condition is one big musical. Don't be surprised if she bursts into song!

Kristin is a Melbourne poet who loves connecting with a live audience. She has read and sung her poetry in many venues throughout Australia, the UK and her native America over the past 25 years. She has published two non-fiction books and four collections of poetry, one of which was shortlisted for the N.S.W. Premiers Award. Her poems have appeared in many journals in Australia and overseas. She is working on a new collection and a verse novel. Kristin currently teaches advanced poetry and short story writing as part of Holmesglen Institute's Professional Writing and Editing course.

April

Skimbleshanks is delighted to report that all is well on the Stopping all Stations platform. A beautiful bunch of people gathered to hear Sue read some of her haiku and longer form poems both from her published collections and current body of work. As always, Sue delighted her listeners with poetry that evokes a deep personal response. And a lovely lot of open readings…

 

Next month our feature will be KRISTIN HENRY. More news to follow, so keep tuned…

At the June 19 reading PAGE SEVENTEEN will be looking for a poem to publish in Issue 8. So if you haven’t chosen one already, start writing a ripper that will knock the judges (Tiggy Johnson and Vicki Thornton) off their chairs. Check out the new Page Seventeen blog.

Sue Stanford

It's on again! This Saturday 17 April. Our feature reader this month is Sue Stanford.
Born in London, Sue Stanford is based in Melbourne. Her interests in the creative arts took her first towards a still-born career in ceramics and then later to some small successes in writing. Her first book of poetry, Opal, came out from Flat Chat Press in 2006 and a tiny book of haiku, The Neon City, came out from Post Pressed in 2008. A third book, We Will Come to the Sea, is taking shape. Sue's poetry has appeared widely in literary magazines and anthologies. Sue is currently working on a PhD at Monash University which will take Sugita Hisajo's haiku as a case study through which to explore the effects of a range of constraints on innovation. Sue was president of Melbourne Poets Union during 2007 and 2008. She has been a judge for Moving Galleries, and has been poetry editor of POAM for the past three years.

The Inaugural event

Skimbleshanks is happy to report his first gig went off like the Northern Mail at full throttle. A cosy and relaxed vibe, open readers to make your whiskers twitch and Jordie’s poems, as always, stunning. Her suite of bushfire poems had everyone in the room spellbound.

Don’t forget April 17 features Sue Stanford.