{Photo Credit: Brendan Bonsack}

Indrani Perera is a Sri Lankan / German / Australian poet, creator of The Poet’s Express e-mail newsletter and a maker of useful things living on unceeded Wurrundjeri Country in Naarm (Melbourne, Australia). She is also the founder of Pocketry, the home of unheard voices where she publishes the Pocketry Almanack and hosts the Pocketry Presents podcast.

BOOKS

Indrani is the author of many books including two collections of poetry published by Ginninderra Press, Defenestration and pas de deux, and a chapbook, Anthropocene, published by Queensland Writers Centre. Her handmade chapbooks (Wild Heart and Still:Books) and instant books (Some Thoughts On Writing a Poem For a Journal and Promote Your Poetry) can be bought in her shop.

POEMS & PUBLICATIONS

Indrani’s poems have appeared on borrowing receipts for Yarra Libraries in Naarm, on the big screen at Northbridge Piazza for the Perth Poetry Festival and on phones at the Melbourne Writers Festival for Red Room’s Phone-a-Poem project.

Her poetry has been published in digital and print journals in Australia, India and the USA including Australian Poetry Journal, Axon, Burrow, Cordite, Eye to the Telescope, Gems Zine, hākārā, Jacaranda Journal, Kalliope X, Mantissa Poetry Review, More Than Melanin, Not Very Quiet, Rochford Street Review, Science Write Now, Teesta Review, The Crow and The Victorian Writer.

She has also been anthologised by 5 Islands Press, Girls on Key, Geelong Writers Inc, Ginninderrra Press, Heroines, Liquid Amber Press, Melbourne Poets Union, University of Canberra and WA Poets Inc.

PRIZES

Indrani has been both highly commended and longlisted for the University of Canberra Vice Chancellor’s International Poetry Prize. She was shortlisted for the Heroine’s Anthology, the Jean Stone Award and the Nillumbik Prize. She has also been longlisted for the Frontier OPEN prize, Kathryn Purnell Poetry Prize and the Liquid Amber Poetry Prize.

Indrani was the winner of Day Four for Red Room’s 2022 Thirty in Thirty poetry challenge and in 2017 she was the winner of the Elyne Mitchell Writing Awards Bonus Non-Fiction prize.

PERFORMANCES

Indrani has performed on makeshift stages in bars, teahouses and libraries, as well as in studios, theatres and on radio. In September 2023, Indrani travelled to Western Australia to attend the Perth Poetry Festival. She was invited by WA Poets Inc to be a National Guest Poet for the festival and she featured at the Festival Gala, the Perth Poetry Club, the Multicultural Soirée and the Festival Finale. 

She has performed her poetry in Boorloo/Perth, Naarm/Melbourne and Canberra and featured at Girls On Key, Melbourne Spoken Word, Perc.U.lations, That Poetry Thing That is On at Smiths, and been interviewed for 3CR’s Spoken Word program.

WORKSHOPS

In August 2020 Indrani ran an online workshop, Promoting Your Poetry, as part of the Melbourne Spoken Word Festival Online. While in Boorlo/Perth in 2023, she facilitated the poetry workshop, Beyond Words. In 2024 she facilitated the Beyond the Page workshop for the Sonic Poetry Festival in Naarm/Melbourne. In 2025 she facilitated the Game On! Word Play for Poets at the Perth Poetry Festival.

SIDE HUSTLES

Indrani’s latest creation is The Circus of Similes – the place where poetry goes to play. The Circus is a mashup of word games, children’s toys, paper craft, book binding and poetry. You can download and create all sorts of paper ephemera and instant books to brighten your day, inspire your writing and create new poems.

COMMUNITY

In June 2024, Indrani joined community radio 3CR’s Spoken Word show as one of its four presenters, alongside fellow poets Di Cousens, Es Foong, and Tina Giannoukos.

Want more? Read Indrani’s blog about writing and the creative process or find her on Instagram.