Cirrus@Austlit

‘Australian Poetry Journal’, Volume 8.2 – ‘spoken’, features new works by more than 60 Australian poets, with poetry guest-edited by prominent spoken-word poets and curators, Andrew Galan and David Stavanger. They have curated 42 poems, selected with a focus on producing the first in-print journal of Australian spoken word; it also includes one suite by American poet, Adam Day. This section includes a poem by the late, highly esteemed Candy Royalle. Following the ‘spoken’ selection is a separate section of 19 poems, which are all new works commissioned by Australian Poetry and presented across three of its 2018 festival events – at Sydney Writers’ Festival, Melbourne Writers Festival, and Queensland Poetry Festival. Edited by Toby Fitch, this Big Bent series is an exploration of gender and language queering. In a new publication development for AP, both sections of poems are accompanied by sound-recordings. In the case of the ‘spoken’ section, 15 poets have been recorded, along with a pre-existing recording of Candy performing her poem. In the case of the Big Bent section, the seven poets who read at MWF have been recorded.' (Introduction)

'Over the past decade, Spoken Word has established itself as a central part of contemporary Australian & New Zealand poetry. For the first-time ever, these voices are transported from the stage to the page, captured in print so that the spoken-word experience can be shared with a new and broader audience.

'Solid Air showcases the work of more than 100 performance poets - combining elements of slam, hip-hop and experimental performance poetry - to deliver an unforgettable reading experience that is both literary and loud. Poems capture themes of modern culture, identity and resistance.

'Contributors include Ali Cobby Eckermann, Hera Lindsay Bird, Claire G. Taika Waititi, Courtney Barnett, Michelle Law, Hannah Gadsby, Luka Lesson and many, many more.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.