Rabbit Books - Autumn Poetry Readings
Postponed until further notice
 |
| John Mukky Burke |
This April two local poets will feature in
the Autumn Poetry Readings at Rabbit Books. Local Wiradjuri writer John Mukky
Burke will launch his new collection Late Murrumbidgee Poems; and Derek
Motion will present new and recent poems, Friday
3rd April, Rabbit Books, Wagga.
Late Murrumbidgee
Poems is published by Australian poetry imprint Cordite
Books and is Burke’s return to the form, his first volume of published poetry
in twenty years. And this time has brought change. While his earlier poetic
works engaged with childhood, adolescence, marriage, and life living overseas, Mukky
now observes that his foci were ‘deliberately occluded’, and aspects of his
life such as sexuality and Aboriginality were not foregrounded. As he says in the
introduction to this collection, ‘I skirted around Aboriginal politics and
identity. No more.’
Late Murrumbidgee Poems presents a return to poetry as well as a proximal return to the
river. John Mukky Burke reflects that ‘‘The Murrumbidgee is a river I was born next to...and now, seventy and
more years later, am returned to.’ Poetry lovers and anyone with affinity for
the river will find points of connection in his reading.
 |
| Derek Motion |
Also reading on the night is Derek Motion,
who will present some new and some older poems engaging with the local region: ‘John
has been an influential and supportive friend within the Wagga writing
community for many years, he says, ‘and I can’t wait to hear the work from his
new book.’
Late
Murrumbidgee Poems will be launched 6.30pm, Friday 3rd April at the Rabbit
Books in Wagga. The book will be officially
launched by Wagga poet and academic David Gilbey, accompanied by the reading
from Derek Motion as well as an open-mic section for interested poets.
Copies of Late Murrumbidgee Poems will be available to purchase on the day of
the launch, or, can be purchased online:
Derek Motion’s recent collection The
Only White Landscape can also be purchased via Cordite:
For further media enquiries or interviews
contact event organiser David Gilbey on 0409894973.
* Attached author image of John Mukky Burke
photographed by Derek Motion
* Attached author image of Derek Motion
photographed by Sarah Dissegna
