Cirrus@Austlit

'In a world constructed from both physical and mental objects, poetry is a perfect vehicle to explore our experience. The existence of things posits tantalising ideas of the existence of unthings, the seemingly impossible. Negative mathematical objects such as un-tigers, built on Charles Dodson's alter-ego Lewis Carroll work, or surreal objects such as Meret Oppenheim's Un Objet encourage us to be both serious and playful in our puzzles over existence. Thing & Unthing records part of the thinking about, and playfulness possible in a complicated world.' (Publication summary)

'Surely we are better than this?

'The seeking of asylum in Australia has been politicised in recent decades. Our national conversation has vilified people fleeing persecution and desensitised the Australian polity to human suffering. We are further marginalising the most vulnerable groups in the world and at greater expense than accommodating refugees in the community. What impact does this have upon our collective ethics and national identity? And if our public conversation is steering us into murky moral territory, where may a dissenting voice be heard?

'Writing to the Wire is a collection of poems by Australians and people who would like to be Australians. It is a book about the idea of being Australian. It is about who we are and who we would rather be. Writing to the Wire offers new ways to understand injustice, to speak out and tell stories. Poetry can show us what we’re thinking and feeling in a way our politics has failed to do.' (Publication summary)