A common humanity: Michael Witts reviews ‘Steep Curve’ by Robyn Rowland
This is a collection brimming with life, love and humour. These poems assert their independence while acknowledging their cohesion. They are parts of a greater whole.
5 Islands Press
Celebrating poetry: Carmel Macdonald-Grahame introduces Robyn Rowland
Thanks to the much-appreciated revival of 5 Islands Press, led by poets Mark Tredinnick and Steve Meyrick, we now have Steep Curve. Robyn is meticulous not only about the writing itself, but she is scrupulous about the publication of her poetry. She takes the work of publication seriously and insists on it being perfectly presented on the page. So her books are also beautiful objects.
Extraordinary skill, intimacy, generosity, and beauty: Maria Takolander launches ‘Steep Curve’ by Robyn Rowland
Her assuredness shines through in the extraordinary craft of the poetry—the handling of line, image, enjambment, phrasing, not to mention her voice. But it’s also there in the book’s subject matter, which might be regarded as somewhat remarkable in today’s landscape for its indifference towards the faddish. What I mean to say is that Robyn’s poetry delves, in its assured way, into universal phenomena like aging, family, love, grief, which are explored, of course, from her own deeply personal perspective.
Lithe eloquence & lyric originality: Anne Carson launches ‘The Flowering Dark’ by Sue Lockwood
The Flowering Dark is a materially gorgeous book with a wonderfully evocative cover, and I congratulate the publishers, Mark and Steve for the revamped (and warmly re-welcomed) 5 Island Press for producing such a beautiful holding-space for Sue’s poems, and for choosing Sue’s book to relaunch the press.
The necessity for resisting complacency: Gina Mercer launches ‘Calibrating Home’ by Helen Swain
Here is a book. It is Helen’s book. It is a very good book. When you get one – it will give you delight. And comfort. And gentle chortles. The occasional, necessary, jolt. And sighs of deep pleasure.
Dense, lyrical and poetic: Helen Hagemann reviews Against Certain Capture by Miriam Wei Wei Lo
I once had the privilege of hearing Miriam Wei Wei Lo read her poetry at the State Library of Western Australia and also on the ABC’s Poetica. That seemed so long ago. In fact it was 2004 when her first edition of Against Certain Capture was published by Five Islands Press, in the New Poets 10. The good news is that her book has resurfaced, it’s an identical second edition published by an imprint called the Apothecary Archive.