Rabbit Books - Autumn Poetry Readings

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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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:

https://corditebooks.org.au/products/late-murrumbidgee-poems

Derek Motion’s recent collection The Only White Landscape can also be purchased via Cordite:

http://corditebooks.org.au/collections/frontpage/products/the-only-white-landscape

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