Monday, December 02, 2013

Cordite 44: Gondwanaland

I grew up liking maps, liking continents, liking supercontinents, and fossils. So anything connected to Gondwana, aka Gondwanaland, is to me pretty awesome. 
'Oldest' Gondwana land creature discovered
Having my first ever poem in Cordite be in Cordite 44: GONDWANALAND feels pretty cool.

Her French Toast, the poem I have in this issue, draws together a couple of inspirations for me. 

A friend who was on a ship called USS Blue Ridge, and I know it’s not a submarine.
USS Blue Ridge
Listening to music from DVA for the game Botanicula, and there is a submarine in there. 

And sitting in the upstairs food court of the Canberra Centre wanting to be underwater at Newcastle beach.

This is the song I most listened to while I wrote the earliest drafts of the poem.



Sunday, December 01, 2013

Sacrificial Poems CD Launch

Bela Farkas launches his poetry collection, Sacrificial Poems, on Wednesday 4 December at the Phoenix Pub. 

The album cover

He recorded the album with Aaron Kirby at Playing Field Studio during The Tragic Troubadours' residency in September and October 2013. This is the same time the BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! Podcast project was started. The project included the poem Darwin by Bela.


During the residency I also recorded a bunch of poems with Aaron, and started preparing the launch of my book at the Phoenix Pub. The book, That place of infested roads, was launched at the Phoenix on 23 October. You can listen to a recording of the night on Bandcamp

For the launch Bela performed O brother: a one act play. He'd requested that one from the book and did a great job performing the piece.


At Bela’s launch twelve Canberra performers will be interpreting poems from his CD. I am excited to be one of those taking part. Bela's poems are interesting in their combination of social critique, comedy, seriousness and character.

The launch poster

Hayley Shone and Kooky Fandango will be providing music.




You should come along, Bela Farkas’ poetry is truly unique.