Indrani Perera

poet, publisher & mentor

Category: Connection

Poets Are The Best People

One of the best things about attending the Perth Poetry Festival was meeting so many wonderful new people. The audiences were warm and encouraging, my fellow performers were welcoming and friendly and the volunteers and WA Poets Inc folks were supportive and helpful. My whole trip to Perth was so nourishing and inspiring because of all of these beautiful people.

I love talking to new people and hearing their stories, views and opinions. It was wonderful to finally meet instagram buddies Scott Patrick Mitchell and Lisa Collier in person. And to meet Gary di Pazzio and Shey Marque from WA Poets who worked so hard with the rest of the crew to make the impossible possible. To see Laksnhmi R Kanchi again and visit the beautiful wetlands where she was a poet in residence. To talk art with Yael, see Gillian's friendly face in the audience, go for walks with Jaya Penelope and sit in the audience with Elio from the Perth Poetry Club.

I learnt about belligerent bunting from Davina (did you know it's illegal to put up bunting in Perth?). Thanks to Coral, Neil and the crew for a slightly surreal afternoon tea/drinks. Meeting and chatting to Sunil, Moly, Jake and Elizabeth, kindred spirits who know what it is like to come from someplace else. And to all the photographers who snapped so many great photos – I spent most of my time at the festival off my phone so I am super grateful for your photos!

I am so grateful to all of these beautiful people and all the others with whom I shared a conversation or a smile. You made my visit to Perth special and memorable. You turned your city into a welcoming community and made me feel as if I belonged. I'm going to treasure my visit always. People really do make a place and you brought your place to life for me, so thank you a million times and more.

I had such a fabulous time that I didn't want to leave. I will definitely be coming back as soon as I can!

September 20, 2023
Of Lakes

I've been watching Lakshmi R Kanchi (aka Soul Reserve) posting about the Cockburn wetlands and all the amazing events she created when she was their poet in residence. I wanted so badly to visit this beautiful place and this morning my dream came true!

Her husband Ro picked me up from my digs and along with the Washington State poet Laureate, Arianne True and her fiancee Liz, we headed out of town. On our way out, we drove past the Derbal Yarrigan / Swan river which is huge! After the Birrarung Mar in Naarm, I was so surprised to see this mighty river. It looks more like Sydney harbour than a river! We headed south along the coast, stopping at Cottesloe along the way to meet the Indian Ocean. Ro was a great guide telling us so many stories about the places we were driving through.

The wetlands centre in Cockburn is on land that was going to be cut through by a major highway but local residents and scientists banded together to save the bushland. They established the wetlands centre to educate locals, especially children about the beauty and value of the swampy area containing two unique lakes and eco systems. This idea worked because when the government again tried to develop the area, the kickback from voters was immense, stopping the roads and saving the lakes.

On our arrival at the wetlands in Cockburn we were met by Lakshmi, Jaya Penelope and the WA Poets Micro Poet in Residence, Gillian . The centre is a beautiful building that until recently was shared by many local groups, including their oldest scout group in WA. They have just finished the display in the entrance which is filled with imagery and captions in Noongar. Ro introduced us to many of the people working in the wetlands centre, including some of those who fought to save it.

We then walked through the bush to the lake. As we walked along the path about twenty metres (I think, but I'm hopeless at estimating distances!), a kwenda/bandicoot, scurried across the path behind us. It's not often that you see mammals out and about in the middle of the day (except for homo. sapiens that is). As we walked, accompanied by bird song my eyes were everywhere, drinking it all in. Seeing the details, noticing the little things and the big. Trying to see what is different and what is the same. The soil was sandy and the trees were familiar but different.

I was hoping to see some new birds but there were a lot of familiar faces. Kookaburras, fairy wrens, magpies, galahs, ravens and on the lake Eurasian coots, black swans and purple swamp hens. Walking back along the boardwalk from the lake I spotted some smaller birds in the bushes. And then later, some of the endangered black cockatoos flew over the Wetlands centre. After our walk we were treated to a traditional Aussie BBQ cooked by the volunteers. And we met some alpine dingoes.

It was so good to be out of the city. To be in the bush. To be walking the naked land.

Lakshmi's poetry residency has ended and as a farewell gift she left a poetry trail around the wetlands. these boxes contain treasures, writing prompts, waterproof pencils and notebooks so you can add your poetry to the collection. A wonderful idea and a great legacy for a remarkable year of poetry from a brilliant poet.

September 14, 2023
How Curious

My mum was visiting from Canberra and on Sunday I took her along with my two girls to visit one of the many artists’ studios that were open over the weekend in the Dandenong ranges. Three generations of women off an an adventure to see fabulous art. We only had time to visit one studio but it was a cracker and not too far from home either!

We visited the home and studio of Joy Serwylo. She’s an incredible artist who has dabbled in many forms over her career. Quilting, painting and now she’s making incredible cabinets of curiosisty among other things.

I can’t believe the generosity of the artists who participate in this event each year. It’s so kind of them to open their homes and studios to the general public and share their work and inspiration. We didn’t get to speak to Joy as she was hosting a workshop that I was too late to book into (next year!) but even being in her home, surrounded by her art and creativity was enough to draw me into her word and fill my cup with beauty. Joy has created a very rich and layered home filled with art and handmade goodness.

She’s inspired me to have a go at making my own wunderkammer. I’m super excited and bubbling with the anticpation that comes with gathering the things you need to start a news adventure / craft. Because aren’t they the same thing?

May 10, 2021
Art in the Bush

I just spent the most amazing five days camping in the bush around Riddells Creek at the wonderul Wild By Nature Village camp run by Firekeepers. The last camp was in January 2020 and it's been a long fifteeen months, waiting to get back out in nature with all the wonderful people who come to jpoin in all the adventures.

This camp we had two amazing artists in residence. Trace Balla is the author of many books including our family's favourites Rivertime and Rockhopping. Claire Moslely is a creator of nature prints, tea towels and journals featuring Australian flora and fauna. My walls are already decorated with Claire's art and my bookshelves hold many of Trace's books so it was wonderful to get to make art with both of them!

They even created an art exhibition featuring the art created by villagers of all ages. There was even an opening ceremony to which you could wear your fanciest bush clothes. At the ceremony there was a gigantic canvas, clay paints and an invitation to co-create an ephemeral art work which would then be washed away by the rain.

It was so much fun, I can't wait til the next camp in Spring!

April 12, 2021
In Print

There's a thrill that comes when you see your words in print and your name on the cover of a book. There's also a deep sense of satisfaction and completion. You've managed to get your book this far and now it's ready to go out into the world and meet new people. I wonder if they will be friendly…

As a writer, I am looking for an audience; a reader to complete my work and connect with my words, thoughts and ideas. To dance with them as they dip into the pages. Most things I do come back to connection and writing is no different. It's just another way I can connect with the people and the world around me by sharing the things that I notice.

All I've said so far is true but creatively speaking, I said goodbye to the poems in this collection a long time ago. I still perform my favourites on stage at open mics but there are many pieces in here that I have forgotten about. However, now that I have a copy to flick through and pore over, I am looking forward to finding forgotten gems. Some of these poems were written over three years ago and opening the pages to see them again is a little like seeing an old friend after many years apart. I wonder if we will still have things in common or if we will get on?

April 5, 2021
Gratitude

It's been a long time since I've made anything with my hands. So long in fact, that I can't remember the last thing I made. Terrible for someone who professes to be a maker! I've been caught up in getting ready for the launch of my second collection of poetry, Pas De Deux which happened last week and haven't had any time for craft. Shocking!

Today is a public holiday and there's nowhere I have to be so I am using this little window of time to get a few things made. The first is some thank you cards to send out the lovely people who helped make my book launch such a success.

I went through my card making stash this morning and found these strips of eco dyed paper which I am turning into some concertina style cards. I"d chucked them in the drawer straight after dyeing so they needed a lot of ironing to get out all the creases. I know – ironing paper seems like a bizarre thing to do. The first time I ironed paper I was freaking out, afraid that I would scorch the paper or set it on fire. But no, neither of those things happened. Before you all go out and iron paper you need to know that I'm talking about heavy duty watercolour paper here, not your standard printer paper. I'm not sure how that would cope with being ironed.

I'm really chuffed with the vintage toast rack I picked up at a local market bazaar shop. It's prefect for holding pieces of eco dyed paper that are drying out or books that are waiting be bound.

What are you doing this long weekend with your extra time? Making something I hope!

April 2, 2021
The Dirty Thirty Poetry Challenge

I can't believe it's been a whole year and that it's April again already and time for the Dirty Thirty!

April is poetry month and there's an Australian poetry group on Facebook that anyone can join. It's run by Abdulrahman in Sydney. He posts a prompt a day and people post their responses. You don't have to post every day if you don't want to – there's no pressure or expectations (except those you place on yourself of course!). Each day Abdulrahman picks a poem that he personally connected with as the Pick of the Day.

I did it last year and it was super helpful for my writing and generated a lot of material (and made lockdown much more bearable!). It's a great group and very supportive. I'd highly recomend it for anyone wanting to improve on their writing.

April 1, 2021
Fontastic!

I'm an old fashioned gal at heart. I adore vintage furniture and ephemera like suitcases, hat boxes, shoe lasts, tie clips and butter knives with bone handles. I also haver a thing for graphic design so it made perfect sense to combine these two loves and create a postcard to send to friends and family for the upcoming launch of Pas De Deux, my second collection of poetry.

I've recently become a bit of a font geek and have been obsessing over the best typefaces to use for my designs. I'm still not 100% sure of the distinction between a typeface and font even after reading the excellent book Just My Type by Simon Garfield which I got for Christmas last year. Designing the invitation for my launch, however, was a breeze because I just had to use the fonts which I had already used for the cover of the book itself. For those of you interested in such arcane, matters I used Playfair Display for the heading and Montserrat Classic for the sub headings. I set the text on the back in Bodoni FLF.

It was great to sit down with my address book, a pile of postcards and some stamps and write out all the invitations. And then of course the fun of opening up that great big red box and putting the postcards inside. Isn't it marvellous that all you have to do is stick on a stamp and then your letter gets taken all around the world?

March 4, 2021
A Hidden Gem

For the last who knows how many weeks I've been confined to travelling within five kilometres of my home. Yes, I am super grateful to have such a lovely home and thank goodness for a garden and a creek trail just down the way. I am grateful we are no longer living in the inner city in a flat. That would have been unbearable with two children who are finding isolation hard enough as it is. However, we all miss the horizon, the beach, our friends. It's so very hard to shatter shelter (now wasn't that an interesting typo?) in place when the weather is saying, 'It's spring. Come out and play!'

I've been feeling trapped. I know that sounds a little melodramatic but when you're an adventurer who likes nothing more than exploring new places, being confined to a five kilometre radius around your home feels like a grim sentence. I'm looking at my friend's amazing beach photos on Instagram and just itching to get my toes all sandy and drink in the salty air.

I felt like there was nothing new and exciting to see around here. I've ridden up and down the creek trail god knows how many times. Driven to the shops and back once a week for my groceries. Watched all the neighbours walk past my window. Felt like it was the same old thing day in, day out. Which in theory is very lovely and grounding or something but in reality I started going little nuts.

And then. And then I went for a bike ride with my ten year old daughter. She saw a little trail going into the bush along the creek and wanted to follow it. So we did. And what we found was a little wonderland of flowers and greenery. A haven right under our noses, waiting for us to discover it.

October 2, 2020
Snail Mail

I'm an old fashioned gal at heart. I like reading books and making things with my hands. I prefer walking to driving a car. And I'd much rather get mail in the letterbox than an email in my inbox.

I found all these packets of letter writing paper and matching envelopes in my desk drawer. I bought them years ago when the girls were into writing letters to their friends. There's something magical about opening the letter box and seeing a letter inside addressed to you. Especially if the envelope has been written by hand and isn't a bill!

My mum was chatting to one of my girls the other day and she said when she moved to Melbourne in the late 1960s there were two mail deliveries a day. Now we're lucky to get two mail deliveries a week. Oh, how times have changed. Luckily you can still send letters and buy gorgeous stamps to put on the envelopes. I went into the post office and asked to see their range. At the moment they have a beautiful bird emblems series of stamps with a bird for each state of Australia. I bought up big and got the three birds they had left. I loved the stamps so much I'm thinking of buying a first day cover for them.

Writing letters to friends on beautiful stationery feels like a way we can connect with each other right now even though we're all social distancing. I miss my beautiful friends but when I picture their faces as they open their mailboxes to see a letter from me, I feel all happy inside and like we're not so far apart after all.

May 22, 2020