Poetry goes viral

When the Radio Adelaide 101.5FM show 'Poets on Air' had its funding withdrawn at the beginning of this year I assumed  poetry was going to remain permanently unfashionable, but it seems to be spreading slowly but slyly not just over the Internet but onto the airwaves and podcasts as well.  Thanks to acclaimed poet and fellow blogger Mike Hopkins, Adelaide poets are getting a fair hearing at last.  Follow their progress on http://mistakenforarealpoet.wordpress.com and listen in to The Poet Stripped Bare on RN on Sunday June 3 at 10.05am.  To hear more about the Nameless Project, look up Streetcast's interview with Royce on Radio Adelaide.

While all this was happening, I was being enthralled by William Kentridge at ACMI and the Persian illustrated poets at the Victorian State Library.  The first one is sadly finished now, but the other one is on for a while to come - the catalogue is well worth investing in, as the pictures are very small and the room dimly lit.  For a dose of Rumi, try this.

The Endeavour departs

This is the Endeavour replica leaving Adelaide, photographed by my friend Jose. She's aided and abetted by a pair of very modern engines - in the old days the original ship couldn't go anywhere without a wind.

Bon voyage! Adios! See you next time!

Sense at last!

I was listening innocently to Classic FM today when I heard David Gillespie talking clear common sense at last about the overweight epidemic that has the health systems of affluent countries on their knees. I had long ago decided that there's nothing wrong with eggs, butter and animal fat - we've been eating them for thousands of years, unlike that revolting invention called margarine, and canola oil, the petrol substitute that is now being grown instead of other genuinely nutritious crops.

When I googled him I found suspiciously little about him (he is after all just a lawyer, not a nutritionist or a doctor, or even a food producer with a vested interest in marketing certain products), apart from this site:

http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/2012/03/six-big-fat-myths-about-fat-a-podcast-with-david-gillespie/#comment-202977

I suggest that if you've tried everything else, try cutting out sugar. The strongest message was his opening statement - that on average we used to consume 2kgs of sugar per year - now we consume 50kg per year.

well I'm not too good at keeping up this blog, but I could say that's because I'm too busy... have been trying my hand at recording fringe reviews for Radio Adelaide, which is totally new and has nothing to do with what Black Dog considers is my real job, i.e. carving her image in blocks of wood and taking her for walks by the sea. She was also highly insulted when I forsook her company for three nights and spent them shipkeeping on the Endeavour replica in Port Adelaide. A wonderful experience, it's a shame they don't let dogs on board. This is what part of her (the ship) looks like in the dark.

No, I didn't have to climb the rigging, but I had my first experience of sleeping in a hammock, and did reasonably well.

Happy New Year everyone! It's almost Chinese New Year so it seems like a good time to start a new blog for 2012. The Black Dog enjoys her daily romp in the surf and the subsequent creep through the undergrowth stalking crested pigeons. The studio has slightly given way to rigging the boat recently, so I need to get down to business and start ordering t-shirts. I've discovered men are rather fond of this one: http://www.redbubble.com/people/mimidesigns/works/3980538-winter-waltz-the-tshirt I thought it was more of a girl's style, but there's no accounting for taste.

Well I have no idea how many people are following this blog, but they've probably all given up as it's been so long since I did any posting. A lot has been happening: I have moved, for a start. Only 5 minutes away from Port Noarlunga, but now much closer to the dedicated dog beach, which is wonderful. And Black Dog Gallery is now Black Dog Studio and Gallery. For the moment the Gallery is merely virtual, while the Studio is still coming together. Watch this space to see the work in progress.

Black Dog has a real name: I thought it was spelt Portia or possibly Porsche, but I have decided it must be spelt Porchia. Thanks to Amy Bodossian for putting me onto this esteemed Argentinian poet, who is a very fitting namesake for my thoughtful, extremely empathetic and constant companion.

The aphorism that Amy quotes, ‎'I know what I have given you. I do not know what you have received.' is exactly what Black Dog appears to be saying when she looks into my eyes and lays an anxious paw in my lap.