Achievments new for 2024

 

Members News May and June July 2024

Winner of the Phillipa Holland Poetry Award 2024 in the FAW Eastwood/Hills poetry competition.for my poem Two Canticles.

Highly Commended in the Phillipa Holland Poetry Award 2024 in the FAW Eastwood/Hills poetry competition for my poem Ungraspable.

Double page spread of my poems on the theme of Art and artists  in the Women’s Ink Winter Issue 2024 .Three of my poems were chosen, Escaping with Cézanne  and sunflowers both published in my anthology Fire on Water H.Commended in the Sww Book Awards 2017 and Le Ciel to be included in my up and coming collection, Ring with the Bells to be published  in 2025

Poetica Christi Press  Highly Commended poem Fifth Symphony , Short listed to be in Anthology A New day Dawns

        From my Balcony, and Polynesia, le ciel 

 FAW Eastwood/Hills Poetry competition  Two poems shortlisted  Two Canticles, and  ungraspable winners to

           be announced on 3rd August

Echidna Tracks  my haiku on Monday   15th July  2024 

Eucalypt  A Tanka Journal 2 haiku published in Issue 36, 2024

 

 

Members News

Achievements  up tp April 2024

Poem ‘From the Dust of Stars’,  Short listed in The Society of Women Writers National Writing Competition 2023.

Poem, ‘From the Dust of Stars’,  in Spiritus : A Journal of Christian Spirituality .  The John Hopkins University Press, December 2023

3 poems ,’loud fence,’ ‘melanoma’ and ‘a poet’   in Mozzie, Vol 31, Issue 04 December 2023

Poem, ‘exodus’ in The Crow South Australia’s Peotry Journal. December 2023 ed. Brenda Eldridge

Three Haiku  in ‘under the same moon,’ Fourth Australian Haiku Anthology ed by Lyn Reeves, Vanessa Proctor Rob Scott March 2024

Two haiku, in  vol.12   Elements Echnida Tracks for on-line publication. 

Poem, ‘Intrusion’  in the anthology fourW thirty-four New Writing, Booranga Writers’ Centre, 2023.

Poem, ‘Afterwards 15th October 2023’ in Telling Australia’s Truth – poems selected by Stephen Matthews, Ginninderra Press, 2024.

Poem, ‘Reminder’ in the anthology Loss Lifespan Vol 9, Pure Slush Books, 2024.

Poem, Bucket List’ in the anthology Retirement Vol 10, Pure Slush Books 2024.

Write up of the Autumn 2024 White Pebbles Ginko Meeting at White Pebbles haiku poets gathered at the Edogawa Gardens at the Gosford Regional Gallery and Arts Centre East Gosford

Presentation for U3A : poetry of Ada Limón the American Laureate 2023-24

Presentation: Womens Club  ‘’A Writers Life in Pictures’  24th April  2024.

 February  Announcement of the Di Yerbury Residental Award  as one of two judges for the award. 

Women’s Ink. Spring 2023.  Review of my latest book The Dinner Party : A poetic response by Denise O’Hagen

                                                             My review of Opus; A life in music by Pip Griffith 

                                                              my poem In Memory of  Black Summer 

2 Tanka in Eucalypt 35 

Review of The Dinner Party; A poetic response, by Dr. Beatriz Copello   published in the Compulsive Reader  March 2024

__________________________________________________________________________

 

Achievements 2023

OCTOBER -Novemeber- December

Society of Women Writers SWW National Writing Competition  

Short listed poem from the dust of stars.

Dr Michael Griffith web site for ACU  published poem on Judith Wright

Echnida Tracks  series 12,  Elements,  2 haiku to be published over the summer 

Chap book  published  From the dust of stars

Read my poem Intrusion at the launch of the Anthology fourW thirty-four  from Booranga Writers Centre Charles Stuart at AIT Ultimo 

2023 Fellowship of Australian Writers:  National Cherry Festival Lambing Flat at Young 

Highly commended for poem:  Paradox

Commended for poem:   On Drifting Cloud

Eucalypt A tanka published  in Eucalypt  No. 35  ed. Julie Thorndyke

The Crow  December 2023, published poem Exodus

Pure Slush poem on ‘Loss’  to be published  poem  Reminder

Mozzie  October 2023, Volume 31 Issue 03  published two of my poems, 

counting summers

morning litany after the referendum

Womens Ink Summer

Colleen Keating

Shortlisted for poetry in the SWW National Writing Competition 2023 .

New poetry collection Ring the Bells accepted for publication in the new year by Ginninderra Press.  

Dinner Party: A poetic reflection published by Ginninderra Press  released.

Mozzie poetry journal     vol 30  May Issue 7 2023   poetry is . . . 

      vol 30   May issue 8 2023  winter days

      vol 30  June issue 9  2023  Turkiye and Syria and coxcombry

        Vol 31  July Issue 1  2023  koan

Four W’s Annual Anthology. Poem Intrusion accepted for inclusion. Booranga Writers Centre. Charles Stuart University

The Crow ed. Brenda Eldridge.  Poem Exodus  accepted  for nov 2023

Echnida Tracks  11 Elements, 2 haiku published  August 2nd and September 17th

Eucalypt A tanka published  in Eucalypt  No. 34  ed. Julie Thorndyke

Women’s Ink  2 poem from The Dinner Party Boadecia and Artismista Gentilesha published in  Winter 2023 edition.

Members Talk on my new book The Dinner party: a poetic relection.at the SWW July guest speaker. 

MC for  Gwen Bitti’s launch of her first book, Between Two Worlds. 

 MC for Decima’s Wraxall  launch of her new book Conspiracy of Silence

Launched Libby Hathorn’s new children’s book,  Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of nature. at SWW

Fourth Australian Haiku Anthology, 2023 Under the Same Moon, 3 haiku published 

Review of Pip Griffin  new poetry collection Opus  to be published in Women’s  Ink

The Blue Heron Review  my Haibun published in The Blue Heron Review 2023

Poetry Appreciation U3A presentation of the Australian poet Sarah Holland-Batt 

Launched poetry collection  No Salami Fairy Bread by Beatriz Copello  at Gleebooks.

Poetry Appreciation U3A  November 2023 to present the Australian poet Judith Beveridge

 

 

MEMBERS NEWS NOVEMBER 2022

for Colleen Keating

Poem  Petal by Petal,  Highly Commended in the National Writing Poetry  Competition  2022  (Society of Women Writers NSW )

Olive Muriel Pink: her radical and idealistic life, a poetic journey Highly Commended in the  Society of Women Writers  NSW Poetry Book Award  2022

Olive Muriel Pink: her radical and idealistic life, a poetic journey Short listed in the Society of Women Writers Poetry Book Award 2022 and Short Listed  in the Society of Women Writers NSW Non-Fiction Book Award 2022

Launch by Emeritus Professor Anne Boyd  AM of  my book Olive Muriel Pink: her radical and idealistic life in the Olive Pink Botanic Garden, Alice Springs . Saturday 1st October 2022

 Presenter at the  festival forum: Olive Pink: from Obscurity to Centre Stage in Olive Pink Botanic Garden

Presenter of Miss Pink at the Aviation Museum forum, Alice Springs with three other participants  on the subject Troublesome Women.

Shared poetry readings from my book on Olive Pink curated walks during the Olive Pink Festival in Alice Springs.

Lunch Time Poetry Reading  at The Red Kangaroo Book Shop,  Alice Springs.

Beachcomber  New collection of poetry, published  by Ginninderra Press February 2022

Research and presentation of poet Jane Hirshfield for  September U3A  meeting 

One haiku  published in Mozzie Vol 30  issue 2, July 2022

A tanka published in Eucalypt  No. 32  ed. Julie Thorndyke

Two poems Ukraine  and  Life as we knew it published  in Mozzie  Vol. 30   Issue 1, July 2022

A  poem   From my Bedroom Window published  in Mozzie Vol 29 Issue 9 ,March 2022

A   poem Fifth Symphony published in  Mozzie Vol 29 Issue 6, Nov 2021  

New collection The Dinner Party accepted for publication by Ginninderra Press 2023.

 

 

 

Members News   November 2021

‘Authors talk’ presentation  “Who is Olive ?” on the publication of Olive Muriel Pink; her radical and idealistic life. Society of Women Writers,  September Zoom Meeting. 

To launch Strands and Ripples by David Atkinson , rescheduled  for December. Published and available from Ginninderra Press website 

Blurb for the back cover of the new book The Climb Back by Pip Griffin, published  and available from  Ginninderra press website

Two haiku accepted for #8  Open, Echnida Tracks for on-line summer publication. 

One haiku published in  the final edition of Windfall No 10 ed. Beverley George

Poem A meeting published in Mozzie  Vol. 29 Issue 3 August 21

Poem  While doing a grocery shop  and three haiku in Vol 29 Issue 4 September

A tanka published in Eucalypt  No. 31  ed. Julie Thorndyke 

First edit completed of new poetry collection To breath with you , to be published  early 2022.

Poem   cherishing the moment  in Anthology Milestones  Poems selected by Stephen Matthews published by Ginninderra Press, S Australia 

Five poems in  Class Act, The Wednesday night poets, our first launch since lock down. Launched  by Norm Neill  3rd Novemeber. ed Antonia Reiseger. Five Senses. 2021

Final proof read of my new poetry book To breathe with you  to be published by Ginninderra Prees early 2022.

Members News   August 2021

Launch of Olive Muriel Pink: her radical and idealistic life, to be launched by Emeritus Professor Andrew Hede PhD in the Garden of the Olive Pink Botanic Garden , Alice Springs 

September 19th 2021 11 am postponed. May be a live broadcast/virtual launch ) 

Olive Muriel Pink: her radical and idealistic life, a poetic journey my new verse novel, ,published Ginninderra Press,  August 2021 

Poems, transience, grief, informing a landscape, Hyde Park dusk, accepted for new Anthology  from Five poems published in  Class Act  ed. Antonia Reiseger & David Stewart

Poem, cherishing the moments accepted for  Milestones,  Anthology,  published by Ginninderra Press 

One haiku accepted for Windfall No. 10 ed Beverly George

Poem, Anamnesis published in Women’s Ink  Society of Women Writers Winter 2021

Poem published in  The Mozzie  Vol.29  Issue 2 June 2021

Finding Hildegard through poetry, music and her mandalas  A talk at the Benediction Library Glebe.   August 17th 2021 Postponed

Blurb for the back cover of a new verse narrative,  Virginia & Katherine: the Secret Diaries by Pip Griffin

Launch of Strands and Ripples by David Atkinson.  Postponed .

Poem published in APC  Issue 33 Australian Poetry Collaboration ed. Les Wicks 

Presentation of a workshop  for the Eastwood Branch of the U3A in collaboration with Michael Keating on the poet and poetry of Joy Harjo

Blurb for the back cover  of the new book Envoi, selection of poetry of Ted Rutter selected by

Pip Griffin.

 

Members News  March to May 2021

Presentation of a workshop  for the Eastwood Branch of the U3A

in collaboration with Michael Keating on the poet and poetry of Joy Harjo

A blurb for the back cover  of the new book Envoi   Ted Rutter Selected Poems 1990-2017   by Pip Griffin

 

Members News for Colleen Keating  May 2021 sent to SWW and FAW

Soft gaze by Colleen & Michael Keating. A Picaro Poets Collection, 

March 2021 published by Ginninderra Press SA

Final edit of new verse novel , Olive Muriel Pink, her radical and idealististic life, 

A poetic journey. to be published by Ginninderra Press SA.

Presentation given on writing my verse novel, Hildegard of Bingen: 

A poetic journey to the Moocooboola FAW convened by John Egan. 

Haiku accepted for  Echidna Tracks  #7 Light and Colour 

Poem, Australia Day in journal The Crow ed Joan Fenney  publ. Ginninderra Press. SA

Two poems in the new journal Oxygen Vol 1 ed Cheryl Howard Autumn 2021

Poem in The Mozzie When I could do Nothing Vol 29 2021

My verse novel Hildegard of Bingen, A poetic journey, accepted to be serialised

 and read by Jo Van Kool for radio station RPH

Two tanka accepted for Eucalypt No 30 

One haiku accepted for Windfall No. 9 

Blurb written for the back cover of poetry collection  Strands and Ripples

by David Atkinson 

Advance review of book Forbidden Grace by Rev. Shannon Sterringer,

PageMill Press, Alameda, CA 

 

Members News    Dec. 2020 – February 2021

Hildegard of Bingen: A poetic journey won two awards at the Society of Women Writers NSW Biennial Book Awards : SWW Poetry Book Award 2020 and SWW Non-fiction Book Award 2020.
February 2021
Desert Patterns Highly Commended Poetry Award at the SWW Biennial Book Awards  Feb 2021.
Brush of Birds by Colleen Keating: A Picaro Poets collection  January 2021published by Ginninderra Press Australia and can be purchased from www.ginninderrapress.com.au
Poem  summer anguish in Mozzie Volume 28 jan. 2021
Blurb written for the back cover of  poetry collection  –The mathematics of love
by Sonia Hunt  January 2021
Haiku in Windfall  8 2021  ed Beverley George
Two poems, face of verity  and no virtual meeting here in Mozzie Vol. 28,  2021 
Five poems  escape with cezanne, seeing eyes, not narcissus, marilyn, memory
in the last edition of Poetry Matters. Democratic Poetics sub titled A Gathering of the Finest . Poems published in Poetry Matters from 2006  to 2019 .
Blurb written for back cover of poetry Collection Now and Then by Joanna Van Kool :December 2020. www.ginninderrapress.com.au
Desert Patterns , Short listed in SWW Poetry Competition  2020
Hildegard of Bingen: A poetic journey, Short listed in SWW Poetry Competition 2020
Book Review of Hildegard of Bingen: A poetic journey,  reviewed by Beatriz Copello  Women’s Ink March 2020
A poem, Platypus Spotting is Fun!  and short story, I was Lost in  Society of Women Writers, NSW Inc 95th  anniversary anthology Splash, Splish, Squawk   2020
Poem, Sydney to Melbourne in Mozzie Volume 27 May 2020
Poem, Ritual in Mozzie Volume 28 July 2020
Poem Pandemic in Womens Ink, SWW  July 2020
Poem In search of Hildegard translated into German and made into a Podcast as part of the Pilgrimage in honour of Hildegard of Bingen Germany in September 2020. 
Poem Gardeners of Hope  published in Holy Shenanigans  Podcast of Pastor Tara Eastman Central New York 
Mists of Time co-edited with Decima Wraxall.  Ginninderra Press Chapbook   
New collection of poetry working title Salty Beachcomber for publication in mid 2021 by accepted by Ginninderra Press.

 

 

 

Members News 

Colleen Keating Sydney  June 2020  – December 2020

Blurb written for  back cover of the poetry Collection Now and Then by Joanna Van Kool : www.ginninderrapress.com.au

December 2020

Accepted for INTENSIVE  WORKSHOP WITH LES WICKS FEBRUARY 2021

Book Review Hildegard of bingen – A poetic journey  reviewed by Beatriz Copello  Women’s Ink March 2020

A poem and short story in Society of Women Writers,  NSW Inc 95th  anniversary anthology Splash, Splish, Squawk

Poem  Sydney to Melbourne in Mozzie Volume 27 Issue 10 May 2020

Poem  Ritual in Mozzie  Volume 28 Issue 2 July 2020

Poem Pandemic accepted by SWW for publication July.

Poem In search of Hildegard translated into German  and made into a video  as part of the Pilgrimage in honour of Hildegard of Bingen Germany in September 2020.

Poem Gardeners of Hope  published in Holy Shenanigans  Podcast of Pastor tara Eastman Central New York

Chapbook  – Picaro Poets accepted for publication  Brush of Birds for January 2021

ChapbookGinninderra Press Chapbook   Mists of Time co edited with Decima Wraxall 

New collection of poetry working title Salty Beachcomber accepted for publication in mid 2021 by Ginninderra Press

Tanka published  in Eucalypt 29  A tanka journal 

Haiku accepted  for new  Windfall  9 : Australian Haiku 

 

                             * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Hildegard von Bingen – A Poetic Journey – Launch Speech

by Gisela Nittel 

Thank you, Sue, for your introduction. And thank you, Colleen, for the great honour of asking me to launch the book that’s been your magnificent obsession for a very long time.

I’ll start by confessing that even though I was born in Germany and studied German literature to post-grad level, I knew little about H of B until recently. It’s not that I wasn’t exposed to the medieval era at Sydney University — as undergraduates we read the German equivalents of Beowulf and Chaucer, for example, but there was never any mention of H.

Fast forward to 2019 with Colleen asking me to launch her book and I find I’m not only belatedly curious about this famous German woman, but newly conscious of a personal connection because

of the Bingen component in her name. You see, Bingen is a German town on the Rhine River, and I was born in a German town on the Rhine River (south of Bingen). And I share my surname with a town located not far from Bingen.

So I found myself wondering: Who was this H, whom my distant ancestors may well have known (or at least heard of)? A woman whose life and legacy continue to be celebrated (not just in Germany but internationally) almost a millennium after she was born? Most importantly, what was it about H that so mesmerised my non-German-speaking, Australian poetry friend, that she travelled to Germany three times to tread the same ground. What a fascinating woman she must have been for Colleen to spend two decades immersing herself in the life and work of this Benedictine Abbess, and transforming that research into more than 100 poems — no doubt in the hope of infecting others with what I like to call “Hildy fever”. It certainly worked in my case!

After reading these poems, and being inspired to find out more, I now understand why Col fell in love with this Sibyl of the Rhine for St H was by any measure a most extraordinary woman — dizzyingly prolific writer, gifted composer, skilled naturalist, revered mystic, expert healer and dedicated missionary. And not just a dabbler but genuinely accomplished in these fields — a true polymath. Her CV would be impressive enough for a man of her era. For a woman her achievements can only be described as astonishing.

Even by today’s standards, H was prolific in her writing. Her first work, Scivias (Know the Ways (of

the Lord)) was 150,000 words long — that’s the length of two doctoral dissertations in the 21st century! (Imagine doing that in an era of wax tablets and parchment.) This magnum opus (in which H documented her extensive spiritual visions) took 10 years to complete.

But H wasn’t done with writing at this point: two more lengthy tomes followed — one that took 7 years and another that took 10. These three writing marathons are even more remarkable when you

consider that H started writing her first book when she was 43, and finished her third and final book at the age of 75. Truly an inspiration to all of us who write!

In the field of music, H composed 77 liturgical songs and an allegorical morality play (which was, I understand, the first of its kind). And in her role as a healer, H completed two major medical treatises. In addition to her major works, she completed books on the lives of saints, and her literary legacy comprises volumes of correspondence including letters to VIPs like the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

No wonder there’s a cornucopia of publications, translations, web sites and societies devoted to H. This book, however, [hold up Col’s book] is a unique contribution to this field because it has transformed H’s life into poetry — into poems that engross us with their immersive reimagining of

H’s persona and experiences; poems that give us the sense that we are there, witnessing the highs and lows through H’s own eyes.

Right from the start, we’re hooked by the drama and suspense that Colleen creates via the cinematic technique of flashback in the two opening poems, which drop us into H’s life at 81, in what is clearly a moment of crisis: our heroine in the cemetery, alone and trembling with rage; her frail but determined body pulling and heaving at a large wooden cross. “What on earth is going on?” we wonder. “Why is she doing this?”

Having sparked our curiosity, Colleen then cuts back to the young H on her way to become a nun. From there we accompany her on a long and fascinating journey, which reveals to us the significance of that moment in the cemetery and its consequences.

Throughout the book Colleen skilfully balances moments of high drama with the joy and calm of quotidian life at the abbey. In the poem “Anticipation” (p. 129), for example, we read: “The sisters prune, pickle and preserve, / plait the garlic / to hang from the cross-pull beams, […] / take turns to press the grapes.”

Colleen’s poems are full of such lyrical attention to detail — detail that often interweaves multiple senses. Let me quote from p. 179: “It’s a time of tumbling leaves, abundance of fruit, grapes, apples, wild plums, mulberries, quinces, hazels, chestnuts, all for the picking. // She smells stench of malt,

dye houses, recoils at the reek of tanneries. Her ears prick at the clang of forges, mills and water wheels, tune into the lilt of troubadours and balladeers.” And what about this delightful example of synaesthesia: “Aroma of pickles zings from the kitchen.” (p. 223)

Another aspect of this book that delights me is the thoughtful inclusion of background material that supplements and enhances the poems. Col’s bibliography contains two pages of primary and secondary references as well as background reading and a discography. There’s an excellent set of

endnotes; a glossary for those of us unfamiliar with terms like “simony”; a map showing H’s journeys; and a handy list of characters to refer to when we wonder, “Guda? Where does she fit into the picture again?” Col’s aim here was to find “a middle ground between an accurate scholarly presentation of H and a personal interpretation of her story”. Colleen has achieved this to Goldilocks level – or should I say “Hildegard” level — here and indeed in every aspect of this book.

The story of Hildegard is not just one about a truly remarkable woman but one that also exemplifies the spirit of friendship, community, humanity, perseverance, resilience and courage in the face of opposition, adversity and injustice. As such it’s a story to inspire us all. Colleen’s poems do that story more than justice so I commend this book to all of you.

Congratulations on this wonderful “labour of love”, Colleen. I am both delighted and honoured to

declare your book officially launched.

 

                   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Speech after the launch Of Hildegard.

by Colleen Keating

Hildegard of Bingen: A poetic journey is launched. Thank you Gisela. I am so pleased I asked you to be the launcher and thrilled you accepted.  You bring that scholarly touch of which Hildegard would approve,  especially as you love the German language  and culture and their poets and being born near the Rhine is very special to me.  

Thanks to Sue the convenor of WWN for your welcome to country.   And a very special thank you to Nigel Parry for your presence. I am sure the cello would’ve been close to Hildegard’s heart if it had been invented. It took another 300 years for that. Nigel and Helen  have only just returned from a wonderful musical and family journey in Europe and I appreciate them being here.

Hildegard says,  there is no truer, deeper or more cosmic way to celebrate ‘being’ than to make music. And music she made.  And so please enjoy Nigels music today. Thank you. 

I would  like to make a special note of thanks to Ginninderra Press, Brenda and Stephen  Matthews who are invaluable to poetry and poets. 

Most of you have been part of this Poetic Journey.

The Wednesday Poetry group  which meets in the library here and lead by the poet  Norm Neill. Thank you. I know the early days of Hildegard seemed forever but it was Norm who gave me a lot of help and you all jollied me along.The Women Writers Network that meets upstairs and have followed Hildegard week in week out  for a few years –  Thank you to all of you especially our convenor Sue and  Decima for your love and support and for your part in this yummy spread of food to share. 

And the FAW group  a big thank you to Pip Griffin for her painstaking editing and John  Good to see you here.

To my Poetry Appreciation U3A group thank you Ron and Gisela for your leadership and  for many of our group being here this afternoon. 

To the Society Of Women Writers , Jan and Susan  and others here  I hope you are proud of having a new book as part of our collection. And to Beverley and our White Pebbles Haiku group all the way from the Central Coast I am so happy you are here to celebrate. Lastly thank you my friends and especially my family, Marg flying from Brisbane.  Andy being so supportive in marketing and especially our children and grandchildren. I  am proud you could be here.

As you will read in the introduction it has been a 20 year dream to bring this to reality. Without your support this would not be so take a bow each one of you. Even being here today  shows your interest in bringing Hildegard to Sydney. 

One evening in 1967  (52 years) I sat in a tropical school grounds with New Guineas girls in what was at the time a small village called Madang on the North West coast of Papua New Guinea. We peered at the moon and I tried to explain to the girls, and also to myself, that people were at this moment walking on this tiny pearl-white-silver heavenly object. 

We had no television to watch,. . We did have Radio Australia to hear static like magic of the words “One small step for man; one giant step for mankind” The rest was left for the imagination 

It was only years later on my return back to Sydney, I saw the first photos of planet Earth taken from Space Craft. It took my breath away. It sends me into a sublime state even still today when I come across this image. I just look in amazement.  A few years later I came across some Mandalas from a  German Mystic of the 12th century called Hildegard of Bingen and read her words of urgency for our reawakening of love and care for our fragile planet. It was prophetic. It was as if she had seen the photo taken by the Astronauts and her words struck a chord in my heart. With one of her cosmic mandalas she wrote:

“The earth is at the same time mother, she is mother of all that is natural, mother of all that is human.”  And I went on the search for more of this woman.

I like to think  of this Poetic Journey as a bridge thrown over a stream of time which unites the ancient medieval and the modern, for it is written of a 12th century world but speaks for us today

The reason it still matter is because it is the story of a woman, an everywoman who sets out hopefully in this life  and with all the struggles of hill and dale and against the odds she lives her life to the full.

Read Feather on Breath of God Pg 57

She did not just live her life in her time, she is with us still. She calls to us across nine hundred years from her 12th century to our 21st’.  She calls for the care of the earth.

It is not easy to float like a feather on the breath of god and yet be earthed as an acorn cracking open to be seeded and rooted in to the earth yet Hildegard of Bingen shows us how.

So my friends to finish 

When Hildegard composed music for her sisters to sing daily she believed in joyful celebration 

She said:

Be not lax in celebrating.

 Be not lazy in the festive service

 Be ablaze with enthusiasm.

 Let us be alive in our song.

So let us be alive in our song here at Rozelle and celebrate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

********        ********        ********

Members News

Colleen Keating  Sydney  October 2019 – May 2020

A verse novel  Finding Olive? A poetic journey with Olive Pink, has been accepted  by Ginninderra Press for publication in mid 2021.

A Silver Nautilus Award for Hildegard of Bingen: A poetic journey. May 2020. Nautilus Book Awards – Better Books for a Better World, Seattle, Washington State,  USA 

Poem Rock a bye Baby  published in Anthology, I Protest! Poems of Dissent, ed. Stephen Matthews, Ginninderra Press  May 2020

A new collection of poetry Desert Patterns, Ginninderra Press February 2020.  A virtual launch at the Olive Pink Botanical Garden Alice Springs  March 17th  2020 .

Mood Indigo  in collaboration with poet Pip Griffin,  published by Picaro Poets, December 2019.

Shared Footprints in collaboration with Michael Keating published Picaro Poets,  February 2020.

Poem the gully published in Anthology, Mountain Secrets, Ginninderra Press ed. Joan Fenney 2019

Poem the gully read at launch of Anthology 2nd November 2019

Panel  member of Ginninderra Press  Blackheath Celebrations  giving a talk on A sense of Place in our Writing.

Poem Code Red, in Eureka Street Journal   13th January 2020

Tanka in Eucalypt Issue 29 ed. by Julie Thorndyke.

 The Landscapes of the Heart  in collaboration with John Egan published by Picaro Poets, 2018

Haiku in Windfall Issue 8  ed. Beverley George  

Workshop given in partnership with Michael Keating for U3A  Searching for T.S. Eliot in his Four Quartets

Poems Bells and Morning Glory in Anthology, Love’s Footprint ed. by Maree Silver  & Leigh Hay , Poetica Christie Press 2019

Poem, struggle in exile  in The Good Oil Journal , December 2019.

Hildegard of Bingen: A poetic journey  launched  by award winning poet and writer 

Dr. Gisela  Nittel  13th October 2019.

Workshop given in partnership with Michael for U3A morning on Gwen Harwood the poet. 

November 2019

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Members News  2018 –2019

Proof reading of manuscript,  Hildegard of Bingen: A Poetic Journey  Ginninderra Press  for publication mid year 2019

Collection of poetry Desert Patterns accepted by Ginninderra Press for publication late 2019

Haiku published in Windfall  Issue 7 2019

Poem fractured moonlight  chosen for Christmas  copy  The Good Old  SGS  December 2018

Poem  friendship  in Mozzie Vol 26  Issue 10 December  2018

Poem horizon in Tamba issue No. 63  December 2018

Review of  Fire on Water Poetry Collection 2017 in Tamba  issue No. 63  December 2018

by Helene Castles

Tanka  (2)  in Eucalypt  Summer  No. 25  

Poetry Masterclass Grant  with Vanessa Kirkpatrick  at Varuna  National Writers House, 3rd – 9th December 2018

Poems after the massacre and grandma’s recipe  book  in Mozzie Vol 26 Issue 9  October 2018

Haiku  (2)  in Echidna Track 2  Landscape  December to March.

 A Review of a member’s book One Woman’s Journey in Summer Women’s Ink 2108

Poetry Chapbook  Landscapes of  the Heart by John Egan and Colleen keating published Ginninderra Press  2018

Poem  horizon  with acknowledge Chapbook Landscape of the Heart in Mozzie Vol 26 Issue 8 2018

Poem  not narcissus   in Valley Micropress Vol 21 Issue 7  by invitation  (First prize in open section  of Mozzie Poetry  Comp.)

Poem  Resignation Syndrome  in Eureka Journal 23rd October 

Poems (3) kunanyi ,country bumpkin, and blank page  in Positive Word October Issue 2018

Workshop for SWW on the topic, Poetry making our Writing Shimmer 

Poetry Reading  Shared Poetry with a Local Poet for the Probus Club  Wahroonga East 3rd September 2018

Fire on Water Highly Commended in the SWW Poetry Book Award 2018

 A Poetry Reading Morning,  Mount St. Benedicts Library, Pennant Hills 26th July 2018

Haiku in Echidna Tracks on line September 20th 2018

Halibun in FreeXpresSion  September 2018

Haiku in FreeXpresSion August 2018

Poem  caged  in the Ginniniderra  Poetry Anthology  Wild ed. by Joan Fenney Ginninderra Press

Poem a beautiful world  2nd place in Poetry Competition  Poetry Matters August 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

Achievements  June 2019 – August 2019

Pulblication of Hildegard of Bingen: A Poetic Journey  by Ginninderra Press  to be launched at The Writers Centre Rozelle Sunday 13th October 2.30 – 4.30 . All welcome. 

Ongoing research  and writing for new project  Verse novel on an Australian woman.

Two poems  all the birds and the nest, in Mozzie Vol 27 issue 5 June 2019

 A suite of three poems After the Massacre,  Searching History, Shared History.  in Eureka Street   3rd June 2019.

Research for new writing  on the history of The Gully Katoomba  July 2019

Poem leitmotif   in Poetry Matters Issue 36 July 2019

Haiku (1) in Windfall Australian Haiku Issue 7 2019

Workshop for U3A  on the Indigenous Australian Poet Ali Cobby Eckermann

Guest Speaker for July  Probus Wahroonga Group on Enjoying Australian Poetry

Haiku (2)  in Echnida Tracks on line July 2019

 

Achievements  February 2019 – May 2019

Poem  Christchurch  in Mozzie Vol 27, issue 3 April 2019

Tanka  in Eucalypt  No 26

Launched  the poetry book, Bloom by Decima Wraxall at The NSW Writers Centre 10th May 2019

Final Edit  of Hildegard of Bingen: A Poetic Journey and steps taken towards publication late 2019

Haiku (2) in Echnida Tracks on line  March 2019

Workshop for U3A  Poetry and life of Dylan Thomas  Poetry Appreciation.  April 2019

Review for White Pebbles of Ginko ( Seasonal Walk) held  at Edogawa Japanese gardens and Art Gallery  East Gosford

Bowerbird Tanka Group Pearl Beach, reading on a tanka  30th March 2019

Poem  we are sorry in Our Hands  in Eureka Street Journal18th March 2019

Research for new writing project  February 29th -March 2nd 2019  AIATSIS Canberra



At Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Studies Canberra

 

And my Research Assistant and friend,  Michael