Bundanon Poetry Workshop, January, 08

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry I can't get to meetings this year - from the blog I can see you're having a great time - and I miss it.

I promised some of you information about the Bundanon Workshop that I attended in January. It was totally inspirational and I would urge people to apply for the next one. You're meant to have a book of poems published, but I was selected on ten pages of poems - and there were others attending who had not published a book.

There were 20 participants with four established poets as lecturers/tutors - Jennifer Harrison (love her poetry and a wonderfully generous person), Ron Pretty - also very helpful and generous), Susan Hampton and Michael Sharkey.

Normally this workshop is run at Wollongong Uni (and it may return there next year - I don't think it's been decided yet) - we were so lucky in being able to stay on the Boyd property in an amazing Murcott designed complex with Boyd paintings in our rooms and magnificent views over the Shoalhaven River. As a result, my poetry was heavily influenced by Boyd's work and I have become fascinated by the strength and diversity of his art.

It was an eight day workshop. Each day began with workshopping poems we'd brought with us - or new ones if we'd written any - five students/one tutor. After morning tea, we had a lecture - interesting topics - Cliche/Repetition/Surrealism. After lunch a seminar where we worked on the lecture topic in a practical form. We had from 4.00 - 7.00 off each day when we wrote, walked, swam or rested. At night we had structured readings - our own poetry - or the tutors read from their current works - or we shared our favourite poems.

For me, it was inspirational in every way but particularly in meeting so many wonderful poets, having my mind stretched in so many directions, in the friendships and contacts made. It took quite a while to come back to the real world. If anyone would like further info, give me a call on 9592 2523. Hope to see you at Fed Square.

Suzanne