Poetry Society: Tim Jones and Jennifer Compton

Last Monday was another good Poetry Society meeting. Everyone who was there during the open reading read at least one poem, including Alan who arrived a little later and without a poem. Lauris presented him with a random poem she'd printed off the net and he read it so fluently and beautifully, with such modulation, that I told him afterwards it was as if he'd practised for hours. But no, he said, he'd never seen the poem before in his life.

Tim Jones (guest editor JAAM 26, for which submissions are closing at the end of this month)was the guest reader. He read work from his latest book All Black's Kitchen Gardens, which came out last year, and his first book Boat People from 2002.

I was pleased he read my favourite poem of his, 'Going Back' (from All Black's Kitchen Gardens), about a journey home after the death of his mother.

My mother is the gap in the windbreak
the fallen macrocarpa
the flooded river and the flooded plain.

Next month, Jennifer Compton will be the guest reader. She's a New Zealand poet and playwright, but has lived in Australia for many years. She's going to be the next Randall Cottage fellow. I've come across Jennifer's work quite often through JAAM, but it will be great to see her read in person.

The meeting is going to be at a new venue: in the Greta Fernie Room of Leuven, cnr Featherston and Johnston streets. The date and time are: Monday 21 April, 7.00pm.