Archive for the ‘ ILLAWARRA ’ Category

OCTOBER UPDATE

“ Um. Says Peter. Basically, I am writing 2 major chapters of the thesis which may be re-designed into 4 long chapters instead of the original six. During renegotiations for reenrolment I shall go back to part time research to allow extra time to research and earn extra money to eat and stuff. “

“October I hosted a workshop at the Clarence Valley Conservatorium and will be returning on November 9 to work with the senior drama students.”

“Dr Clay Djubal and I  collaborated during the month in website design and production for Dr Djubal (uq AND austlit ) . Please see entry below.”

To Sum the month up Peter makes this statement as a tantalising tidbit;

“HENRY, THE BASTARD, WAS QUITE HAPPY TO ALLOW HIS MOTHER TO BECOME BANKRUPT, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD ! ( AND I WILL BE CRYING OUT LOUD ON HER BEHALF.) “

“I have applied for a job at QUT as a literary studies lecturer.”

In addition, our bags are packed and we are on our way for a re-imaging Wild Travel South and West to stimulate the Thinking. Regional Centres here we come ! Tents packed. Sleeping bag ready to roll.

“ This month I completed a circle of 40 years by re-discovering my son, Jamie, born in 1968 and having only met once before when he was a matter of weeks old. So far ! SO Good !”

IZ AND JAMIE

EARLY ILLAWARRA POETRY – A SELECTION

PETER KNOX – WHEN NEWS WAS POETRY

PETER KNOX IS SHOWN HERE WITH HEADSTONES AT WOLLONGONG ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE.

These headstones came from Wollongong’s former graveyard by the sea. The Graveyard features in two of the poems in the anthology edited by Peter – EARLY ILLAWARRA POETRY – A SELECTION. ($16.45 – available at the Uni Shop Wollongong University or phone FIVE ISLANDS PRESS on 02 4271 5292)

Peter has included 6 poems on the BULLI DISASTER of 23rd March 1887.

‘Twas on the 23 of March the wires flashed the fatal news around

That eighty gallant miners

were lost beneath the ground.”

(M.J. Shannon Illawarra Mercury . April 9 ,1887)

Peter, in the process of his research, located 200-plus Illawarra-centric poems in newspapers and magazines. These were published between 1850s and 1920s.

Peter says ,

” Until the 1930s poetry was a very important part of journalism”

The track to Wollongong, Mt Keira, and Brookers Nose