Indrani Perera

poet, publisher & mentor

Tag: Ginninderra Press

  • The Poisoned Path

    The Crow

    The environment has been on my mind of late. From day to day I don't give it much thought but when I have a moment to be still or quiet, a sense of unease creeps into my thoughts. At times it feels overwhelming, this tide of humanity that has over taken this fragile and precious planet. And then it comes out in my poetry.

    I wrote A Poisoned Path a couple of years ago after a morning walk down to the local creek. It runs between houses and a golf course until the houses turn into an industrial estate. I was standing at the water's edge looking through the trees to the sun shining on the green when I saw a rabbit bounding down the path. She seemed so out of place, here in the suburbs at the edge of a sprawling city.

    I've been sending this poem out the various publications since then and I am so pleased that Brenda Eldridge of Ginninderra Press has decided to publish it in the September edition of The Crow. You can subscribe to The Crow or grab a copy for only $5 – it's the best value poetry journal in the country!

     

  • Poems

    You’ll find below a list of Indrani Perera’s poems that were published in print anthologies, literary journals (digital and analogue), as chapbooks and those that have placed in competitions or been awarded prizes. 

    You can buy Indrani’s poetry collections, pas de deux and Defenestration, here.

     

    Anthologies

    Dec 2024    pathika, (Heroines: An Anthology of Poetry Volume 5, editor Sarah Nicholson)

    Jun 2024    Notes From the Diaspora on Returning ‘Home’ (Being, Centre for Creative and Cultural Research)

    Jun 2024    Landline (Being, Centre for Creative and Cultural Research)

    Feb 2024     no good at sport (Finding My Feet, Melbourne Poets Union)

    Feb 2024     Seagrass Meadow (Finding My Feet, Melbourne Poets Union)

    Dec 2023     Settler’s Debt (Telling Australia’s Truth, Ginninderra Press)

    Sep 2023     Liquefy (Poetry D’Amour 2023, WA Poets Inc)

    Sep 2023     The Ocean of You (Poetry D’Amour 2023, WA Poets Inc)

    Dec 2022      dried apricots  (Shoot the Breeze, Girls on Key)

    Nov 2021      The Scientific Astrologer  (Eclectic Words, Geelong Writers Inc)

    May 2021      too late  (Milestones, Ginninderra Press)

    May 2020     Apis  (From the Inside Looking Out, Geelong Writers Inc)

    May 2020     We Ride the Night  (From the Inside Looking Out, Geelong Writers Inc)

    May 2020     Intergalactic Tourism  (I Protest, Ginninderra Press)

    Sep 2019       Gunnug Batur  (Mountain Secrets, Ginninderra Press)

    Aug 2019       Recipe For A Poem  (Brushstrokes: Ros Spencer Poetry Contest 2016-19, WA Poets Inc)

     

    Chapbooks

    Aug 2024   Anthropocene (Queensland Writers Centre)

     

    Journals

    Dec 2024     Notes to a Magpie Sitting on a Fence, Carolling to the Trees (Australian Poetry Journal, Issue 13.2: Desire)

    Dec 2023      Places You’ll Never Go and Things You Won’t See (Kalliope X, Issue 5: Spring)

    Nov 2023     Light Years (Science Write Now, Issue 9: Migration)

    Nov 2023     Yesterday is Today: the Migration of Memory (Science Write Now, Issue 9: Migration)

    Jul 2023        At the Foothills of the Dandenong Ranges (Jacaranda Journal)

    Jul 2023        Complicit: A Visual History of ‘Australia’ Since Invasion (Axon)

    Mar 2023      Uncanny Valley (Mantissa Poetry Review, Issue 2: Re)

    Mar 2023      Attention: Ferntree Gully (December 2020) (Mantissa Poetry Review, Issue 2: Re)

    Dec 2022       $7.86 (hākārā, Issue 17: Repetition)

    Dec 2022       Iteration (October 2022) (hākārā, Issue 17: Repetition)

    Oct 2022        Dystopian Dreams  (Eye to the Telescope, Issue 46: Quest)

    Sep 2022       The Poisoned Path  (The Crow, September 2022)

    Aug 2022       Life Support  (Gems Zine, Issue 22: Nature)

    Aug 2022       paper garden  (Gems Zine, Issue 22: Nature)

    Feb 2022        a different brew  (Burrow, February 2022: Gifting)

    Feb 2022        binding threads  (Burrow, February 2022: Gifting)

    Feb 2022        Catching Some Zeds  (Burrow, February 2022: Gifting)

    Feb 2022        The Toddy Tappers  (Cordite, Issue 104: Kin)

    Dec 2021        A Good Listener  (The Crow)

    Dec 2021        going viral  (The Victorian Writer, Summer 2021: Transformation)

    Aug 2021       all she left unsaid (Rochford Street Review, Issue 32)

    Aug 2021        Come Out and Play  (Rochford Street Review, Issue 32)

    Aug 2021        on the ferny creek trail  (Rochford Street Review, Issue 32)

    Aug 2021        Shimmer  (Rochford Street Review, Issue 32)

    Aug 2021        Summer Alive  (Rochford Street Review, Issue 32)

    Aug 2021        Two Girls and a Swing  (Rochford Street Review, Issue 32)

    Aug 2021        A Lexicon  (Pocketry, Issue 2)

    Jul 2021          Shelter  (More than Melanin, Issue 2: Intimacy in Solitude)

    Jun 2021         Nana’s Kitchen  (The Crow)

    May 2021        Vanishing Point  (Teesta Review Journal, Volume 4)

    May 2021        Kama Kunna Ena  (Teesta Review Journal, Volume 4)

    Mar 2021        White Fragility  (Not Very Quiet, Issue 8: Mask)

    Feb 2021         Never Seen  (Cordite, Issue 100: Brownface)

     

    Zines

    May 2025  Love vs Autumn (Slamtidote)

    Dec 2024   Haiku in the Hills (editor AJ D’Costa)

     

    Other

    Mar 2025     Far Flung Seeds (Phone-a-Poem, Red Room poetry)

    Sep 2024       by the book haiku (Poetry on the Big Screen at Northbridge Piazza, 2024 Perth Poetry Festival)  

    Sep 2024       introduced species (Poetry on the Big Screen at Northbridge Piazza, 2024 Perth Poetry Festival)

    Dec 2019       Edifice (Receipt Poetry, Yarra Libraries)

     

    Prizes

    Jul 2025        Longlisted                       Liquid Amber Poetry Prize

    Jun 2025      Longlisted                        Kathryn Purnell Poetry Prize

    Oct 2024       Longlisted                        2024 Frontier OPEN Poetry Prize   

    Apr 2024       Shortlisted                       Heroines’ Anthology (Volume 5, Global Poetry Edition)

    Oct 2023       Highly Commended       University of Canberra Vice Chancellor’s International Poetry Prize

    Oct 2023       Longlisted                         University of Canberra Vice Chancellor’s International Poetry Prize

    Oct 2022       Shortlisted                        Jean Stone Award   

    Aug 2022      Winner                              Red Room 30 in 30 Daily Winner, Day Four

    May 2022      Shortlisted                       Nillumbik Prize for Contemporary Writing: Open Poetry Section

    Oct 2017        Winner                              Elyne Mitchell Prize: Non-Fiction Bonus Prize

     

    Residencies

    Sep 2024       Highly Commended       Terra, Varuna Residential Fellowship

     

     

  • too late

    Milestones Cover

    Another fine anthology from independent Australian publisher, Stephen Matthews of Ginninderra Press. Filled with poetry from some of the finest Australian poets. Including yours truly with the poem, too late.

    When I read my very first Ginninderra Press anthology, way back in 2018, I had a go at writing a poem to fit the theme. It was too late to be included in the anthology but I was interested in writing the poem as an exercise and a challenge. Reading the poems in the book had inspired me. The poets had such a diverse and broad reaction to the theme of wild. However, I really struggled to write something as original or as compelling.

    Fast forward to four years later and a poem of mine is in a Ginninderra Press anthology. I am becoming better at writing poems for themes. At looking at them from the corner of my eye and taking a journey to somewhere new. Or as was the case with this poem, realising that it would it the theme. I love it when I've already written something that would be perfect for a journal or anthology!

     

  • The Crow

    IP - The Crow 1

    IP - The Crow 2

    It flies in from South Australia and lands in my letterbox. This small, elegant journal of twenty pages. Lovingly edited and curated by Joan Fenney it is a delight to read. And I am delighted to say that my poem, Nana's Kitchen is one of the poems in the June 2021 issue.

    Joan writes the most fabulous editorials for each issue where she pulls the threads of the poems together and adds a quote about writing. I love dipping in and out of the pages, discovering new voices and places as I read the poems that have been included in this issue.

    You can subscribe to The Crow here.

     

  • An Honourable Occasion

    IP - An Honourable Occasion 9

    IP - An Honourable Occasion 10

    IP - An Honourable Occasion 11

    I flew out of Melbourne yesterday morning as the sun was coming up over a countryside hung with a shroud of low lying mist. Peering out of the tiny window I could see the headlights of cars streaming along highways and street lights marking the way. I flew into Adelaide over paddocks and houses skirting the edge of the city. 

    I spent the day in Adelaide with two very dear people, Stephen Matthews and Brenda Eldridge of Ginninderra Press. Stephen is an incredible man who has published over 2,000 books including two collections of my poetry. He was being awarded an Order of Australia Medal at Government House for his services to the publishing industry and I was invited to witness the occassion along with Brenda and two grandchildren.

    IP - An Honourable Occasion 1


    IP - An Honourable Occasion 2

    IP - An Honourable Occasion 3

    The ceremony was grand and dignified. It was held in the stately ballroom watched over by an enormous portrait of a youngish HRH Queen Victoria. Facing us was a wonderful window of panes painted with Australian birds, emblems and coats of arms. The Governor of South Australia, His Excellency the Honourable Hieu Van Le AC was friendly and chatted informally with each recipient after presenting their medal. Stephen was filled with emotion and I was so pleased to see him being awarded this honour. 

    After the ceremony we celebrated with lunch and a glass of proseco at the Guardsman in the restored Grand Public Dining Hall at the Adelaide station. It was a fitting venue for a railway buff such as Stephen and I loved the old booths and frosted glass windows with their lettered signs. The meals were fantastic with huge servings. No wisps of lettuce garnished with a caper berry here. I had an enormous slab of steak with salad and chips which I managed to polish off.

    IP - An Honourable Occasion 6

    IP - An Honourable Occasion 7

    IP - An Honourable Occasion 8

    Two of Stephen's friends joined us for lunch and we chatted about the ceremony, oohed over the medals in their case and the certificate in its book bound with purple velvet. It was wonderful to be surrounded by people who love books and writing. We discussed the joys and challenges of publishing unkown and emerging authors as we enjoyed our delicious meals.

    IP - An Honourable Occasion 4

    IP - An Honourable Occasion 5

    It was a one in a lifetime event and an incredible day. What an honour to be invited to share it. Thanks Stephen for all your work over the last twenty-five years to publish unknown authors and bring them to the world. What an achievement!

     

  • Pas De Deux Stockist

    IP - Pas De Deux Stockist

    I am so excited to announce that James and the wonderful team at Dymocks, Knox City, are now stocking copies of my latest book of poetry, Pas De Deux, as well as my first collection, Defenestration!

    I'm super excited to see my books on the shelves at a bookshop and on the shelf next to Sylvia Plath. I still can't quite believe it's true!

     

  • The Bone Bride

    by Indrani Perera

     

    the bone bride

    the devil’s plight

    walking abroad

    this long night

     

    the bone bride

    the devil’s stride

    coming for me

    this dark tide

     

    the bone bride

    the devil’s strife

    takes me away 

    from this cold life

     

    Listen to the audio recording here:

    The Bone Bride by Indrani Perera

     

    This poem appears in Pas De Deux, Indrani Perera’s second collection of poetry.

     

  • Run On

    by Indrani Perera

     

    eat the animals

    rend the flesh

    fierce hunter

    run on

     

    sing the pain

    tell the truth

    story teller

    run on

     

    bend the line

    feel the pause

    sensitive reader

    run on

     

    Listen to the audio recording here:

    Run On by Indrani Perera

     

    This poem appears in Pas De Deux, Indrani Perera’s second collection of poetry.

     

     

  • Burn

    by Indrani Perera

     

    the blood, the blood

    runs deep

    they say

     

    the earth, the earth

    stands firm

     

    the air, the air

    smells sweet 

    they say

     

    the earth, the earth

    stands firm

     

    the tears the tears

    heal all

    they say

     

    my soul

          my soul

                 still burns

     

    Listen to the audio recording here:

    Burn by Indrani Perera

     

    This poem appears in Pas De Deux, Indrani Perera’s second collection of poetry.

     

  • A Friend Of Mine

    by Indrani Perera

     

    joy popped round last week

    unannounced

    for a brief visit

     

    I was rushing around the house

    in my trackky dacks

    putting away the groceries

    getting dinner on and washing the dishes

    if I’d have known she was popping in

    I would have brushed my hair

    put on some glitter and a clean pair of jeans

     

    she stayed long enough to share

    the beauty and wonder

    or my daughters’ imaginary play

    just as I was beginning to see

    she left

    as quickly as she came

     

    Listen to the audio recording here:

    A Friend of Mine by Indrani Perera

     

    This poem appears in Pas De Deux, Indrani Perera’s second collection of poetry.