A memorable poetry soiree with Peter Bakowski

Soiree. What a lovely word. First used in the early 1800s, it derives from the French word soir meaning evening, and it means an evening party or social gathering, especially one held for a particular purpose [1]. Last Saturday night Sweetheart Vivienne and I hosted a poetry soiree. Six weeks ago Peter Bakowski, a successful Melbourne poet [2, 3] emailed Sweetheart Vivienne that he’d be in Tasmania in early October for the Tasmanian Poetry Festival [4], and asking if we’d be interested in a private house poetry reading. We immediately agreed. We invited 12 people who were all excited by the idea and accepted pronto. So 17 people attended including Peter, his wife Helen and their son Walter. Befitting the occasion, the food people brought was sumptuous [5]. Sweetheart Vivienne introduced Peter who spoke about and then read poems from several of his books, and patiently answered questions. After the main course he served up a second helping of his wonderful poetry. Peter, a tall and thin 55-year-old, is courteous and humble. He said he writes ‘clear poetry’, i.e. poetry that’s accessible to the average person. And it is so. Undoubtedly. He mentioned his favourite poets include Leonard Cohen and Ted Kooser (who, I wrote in early 2009, are mine too; though I was a poetry plebeian) [6]. Last Saturday night, the latter started to change. What a successful and memorable soiree it was [7]. Grateful thanks, Peter.

farmdoc's blog post number 393

I was 11-years-old in 1958 when Collingwood won its 13th premiership. It took 32 years to win its 14th – in 1990 when I was 43. A long time between drinks. But nowhere near the 126 years the America’s Cup remained in the New York Yacht Club – from 1857 until 1983 when Australia II triumphed, so ending the longest winning streak in sports history. And though poetry’s not sport – at least not to me – that 126 years pales into insignificance compared with the hundreds of years the position of Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom has been a male preserve. It’s unclear when that position (or its equivalent) began – perhaps 1189. It became a Royal Office in 1670. All its incumbents have been men. Until 1 May 2009, when Carol Ann Duffy, a 53-year-old Glaswegian, became only the 23rd UK Poet Laureate in the past 410 years. She’s also the first Scottish, and the first openly bisexual, appointee. The pay’s only A$11,800 a year, plus 650 free bottles of oloroso sherry. I don’t know how or why the sherry tradition began; but in 1389 Poet Laureate Geoffrey Chaucer was granted an annual wine allowance. As I previously wrote, Poet Laureate was a job for life until Ms Duffy’s predecessor, Andrew Motion, was appointed in 1999 for 10 years. Ms Duffy’s term’s for 10 years too. Will Collingwood win its 15th premiership during her tenure? Unlikely.

farmdoc's blog post number 372

When I studied Latin in grades 9 and 10, I learnt about ancient Rome and its patricians and plebeians. Despite living in modern Mole Creek (oxymoron intended) and not ancient Rome, I’m a plebeian. When it comes to poetry, that is. I’ve never formally studied it, never understood it, and never loved it. But on reflection, poetry’s not an ‘it’, i.e. a monolithic literary rubric. There are a few poets whose poems speak to me. One’s Leonard Cohen. His songs do too, because they’re poems. The same with Emily Ulman’s songs. For sure. Another poet – I think of the non-singing genus – whose poems I’ve enjoyed recently, is the American Ted Kooser, from 2004-6 the 13th US Poet Laureate. The US has annual renewable terms for its Poets Laureate, compared with the UK where for centuries it’s been a job for life – until 1999 when the incumbent was appointed for 10 years. So since 1986 the UK's had only two Poets Laureate compared with the US's 17. I reckon the US system encourages young poets, raises poetry’s profile, and increases poetical diversity. Sweetheart Vivienne tells me life’s hard for emerging prose writers, but their problems are insignificant compared with those emerging poets face. What a pity, because our sick and sorry world needs more poets and poetry. In the USA, April’s National Poetry Month. How wonderful! It’s my cue to put more poetry into my life. I’m starting here. I’ll never be a poetry patrician. But I’ll do what I can.