Mike Panasitti has written a beautiful piece on Bobish for the Ecotheo Collective. “True to the musical roots in her family, Bobish is Magdalena’s song to the universes that surround us and inhabit us. It is an ode to those who want to believe that spirits can mingle with DNA, but can also survive without undergoing meiosis.”
You can read the full piece here:
https://www.ecotheo.org/etreview/celebrationofhumanspirit
Live Encounters is such a beautiful publication – free to download and I’m delighted to have been invited to contribute work to their big 16th anniversary (that’s internet years which are like dog years) issue. You can go directly to my submission at the link below or check out the whole issue which is full of stunning poetry here: https://liveencounters.net/
I’m delighted to have a poem titled “Kosmo Vinyl” featured in The Australian Poetry’s 39th Collaboration, “The Fulcrum Years” a unique new online anthology which explores the most pivotal years of Boomers & Gen Xer’s lives. I note that Kosmo was a producer for The Clash and I began the poem as a reminiscence (which I more or less condensed out) of my 8 hour queue for Clash tickets to see them at the Bonds 
International Casino in NYC in 1981. The person who came with me from Long Island into the city disappeared while we were queuing and I never saw him again (!)–instead I took someone else as I did manage to get two tickets – just.
The issue, which will be available online from Meuse Press is going to be launched at the Since I Left You cafe, 338 Kent St, Sydney, 7pm Tuesday the 7th of October, and MCed by Editors Jonathan Cant & Les Wicks. The full issue is now available online here: https://meusepress.tripod.com/apc.htm#GENX
I was invited to participate in an exhibition at the Goldstone Gallery documenting the atrocities of October 7, 2023, and the wave of antisemitism that followed in Australia. The exhibition brings together documents, installations, film, photography, sculpture, performance and writing into a multi-level, museum-standard presentation to create an inclusive, non-political space for remembrance, truth, and dialogue.
Exhibition Dates: 7 October – 17 December, 2025
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Thurs, Sat & Sun | 12:00 – 6:00pm, Free of charge. Goldstone Gallery, 41 Derby St, Collingwood, VIC 3066
For more details, to book a guided tour for a group, or to book into the special all-day launch/vigil on the 7th, visit: https://goldstonegallery.com/october-7
On Saturday, the 27th of September, I’ll be MCing the Sydney launch of Lisa Collyer’s much awaited new poetry book Gold Digger, which will feature a launch speech by Willo Drummond and readings by the author, me, Willo and Elizabeth Walton.
Gold Digger challenges the enduring myths of domesticity by portraying women as breadwinners, unearthing the realities of labour, aspiration, and social mobility. Collyer deftly reveals how women’s work – often overlooked or undervalued – has always been present, from the kitchen to the corridors of power.
The event happens from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Better Read Than Dead, 265 King St, Newtown
For all the details and to book visit: https://www.betterreadevents.com/events/gold-digger-lisa-collyer-with-willo-drummond-and-magdalena-ball
As part of the Perth Poetry Festival, all through August, poetry is being projected in random rotation across Perth’s giant public screens for the whole of August, illuminating the city with poetry. One of the my poems, 
“Not Literally Audible”, is being included as part of the showcase and you can see it live and large if you live in Perth. If not, the tiny version is here on the right and you’ll just have to imagine the beautiful city of Perth around it. I’ll also be reading the poem live this coming Saturday the 30th of August as part of the Saturday Night Poets gala as I’m heading over to Perth this week as a guest of the festival. If you live in Perth, look up, enjoy the superb poetic atmosphere, and then come along this weekend and join in the fun. Details here: https://perthpoetryfestival.com/program/
Keeping the Western Australia theme going, I’m so pleased to have been longlisted by judge Kevin Gillam for this year’s Ros Spencer Poetry Prize with a bunch of other terrific poets. All longlisted poems will be included in the Brushstrokes Anthology being publisher later this year. The shortlist will be revealed soon and the winners announced at WA Poets Presents on Thursday August 28th from 6-8pm at The City of Perth Library, as part of the 2025 Perth Poetry Festival, which, of course, I’m delighted to be taking part in as an interstate guest.
I did an interview with Beth Spencer about her book The Age of Fibs some time ago for my Compulsive Reader Talks podcast. Beth enjoyed the session so much that she turned it into a transcript which she then submitted, by invitation, to Coastlines Journal, an online literary magazine run by Southern Cross University. The discussion was far ranging and included things like public and private histories, how The Age of Fibs came together, identities and popular culture, memory, climate, hope, and despair – all the good stuff! You can check it out here: https://coastlinesjournal.com/issue-10-crossing-boundaries-finding-hope-beth-spencer
I’m delighted to have been invited as a guest to this year’s Perth Poetry Festival! The WA poetry scene is very strong with superb poets and a wonderful community and I’ll be joining in 3 big events including the Festival Gala on Friday night, running a “Memoir in Verse” poetry workshop on Sat the 30th, and as a featured poet in the Saturday night poetry session. There are a whole series of terrific workshops all weekend.
Tickets to the Friday night gala available here:
https://events.humanitix.com/ppf2025-gala
Tickets to the workshops are now available here:
Perth Poetry Festival Workshops
Tickets to the Saturday night Poetry session here:
https://events.humanitix.com/ppf2025-satpoets
If you are able to come along to any of the events, please say hello!
Given I’m heading to Perth for the Perth Poetry Festival very soon, I’m particularly pleased to be on the longlist for the Poetry D’Amour competition this year along with many other poets whose work I admire deeply. I honestly think that a large part of the pleasure of being on a long or shortlist is being part of the community of others also on the list, but then I think that at least some of the great pleasure of being a poet is in community. Winners will be announced on Thursday the 28th of August at the City of Perth Library.
