Late last year I had not one, but two poems, long listed for the University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor's International Poetry Prize! It was a huge honour to have my work recognised by the judges.
Landline is a poem about old friends who you've know forever but hardly find the time to see any more. Life has moved you in different directions and you may not even live in the same city. But there's always the phone.
Much to my amazement, the second poem, Notes From the Diaspora on Returning 'Home', ended up being shortlisted! I wrote this poem while I was traveling in Sri Lanka with my partner, daughters and parents. It was an incredible experience to hear my father telling us all stories about his childhood in the places where they happened. And at that same time feel a disconnection from a place that should be more familiar than it is.
If you'd like to read my poems you can now buy this wonderful anthology where you'll also find the winning poem and other amazing poems fro the competition. This is an anthology to treasure and read again and again.
Huge thanks to the University of Canberra for including my poems and recognising my work.