Sharing a recently published poem:-)
Updates from the laptop of Jacqui
Today’s newsletter contains:
Feature - a little poem
Book recommendation
Writing updates
A final note
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Feature Story
In this month’s newsletter I’m sharing a series of four tankas (short poems similar in idea to the Japanese form of poetry called haiku) that were published in the Baw Baw Arts Alliance journal, Catchment, Edition #6.
Tara Glen
A little valley
Where wind-whispered leaves frollick
On a frog-croaked pond.
My first memories live here
Caught in the ghosts of grey gums.
Red gum scented blue,
Woodsmoke lingers in winter’s air,
Mushroom spiced flavour
Of Earth’s fruitful harvest brings
A taste of long-buried childhood.
Crisp fresh air frost snaps
And mountain dew squeezes through
My flesh plumped toes.
Look again: my toddler-dimpled face
Stares out from faded black and white
Streamed through dappled light
Platypus play in brown water.
River’s curls and bends,
Left behind as I walk away
Through the echoes of my childhood
Notes on Tanka - Tara Glen is a small farmlet located at a bend in the Tarago River near Drouin. It is the place of my first memories.
Acknowledgement: Link in blue to where this tanka was first published - Catchment Journal, Edition #6 © Copyright 2026 Baw Baw Arts Alliance
The Book Review
A MONTHLY RECOMMENDATION
ODYSSEY by Stephen Fry
In honour of Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming film release of ‘The Odyssey’ here a short review of the Stephen Fry version I read not long ago.
Fry has plenty of footnotes to help a reader digest the story and give some of the elements context.
For instance, I hadn’t made the connection between the Trojan War and Odysseus’ long absence from home.
Also, I vaguely knew the story of Odysseus journey and of Penelope waiting with such faithfulness for his return but I’d not heard of Telemachus, their son and how his adventures parallel those of his father.
I feel a bit more prepared for the film now, and a little less confused about the complicated story but I think still think it takes a deep dive to really come to grips with the mythos that is ‘The Iliad and the Odyssey’.
What do you think? Do you know the story and are you planning to see the film adaptation?
Here are some recent books based on ‘The Odyssey’ which provide insight from a more feminine point of view:
Circe by Madeline Miller
Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
And for a wonderful introduction to ‘The Odyssey’, you can listen to the ‘Zero to Well-Read’ podcast here.
Writing update
A dystopian story accepted
I’ve had a short story accepted for an Australian literary magazine - more details to follow once the story is published :-)
Rejections update
I set myself a goal at the start of the year to have received 100 rejections by the end and I have now officially reached the milestone figure of 50! Exactly halfway.
The project sounds brutal, and it is at times. When I received five rejections in a row recently, I had my doubts as to why I was doing this and questioned, once more, my writing aims. However, some of the feedback I received in the rejection emails was very positive and so the sting was lessened a little.
I still believe this has been an invaluable process for the following reasons:
If I question whether I should enter a competition, I think, well I do need to get my rejections up!
I keep writing - surely the best way to improve
I’m finding my ‘voice’, ie. my style, and that’s so invaluable
I’m exploring options I never thought existed such as literary magazines both here in Australia and abroad
I’m learning to deal with rejection. Thanks to encouraging feedback recently I am beginning to see how difficult a match it can be between my story and the needs of the publication &/or competition
Here’s to 50 more rejections this year!
A Final Note
How to Haiku
In honour of Japanese poetry , here’s a wonderful explanation on writing haiku with brilliant local Melbourne poet, Maxine Beneba Clarke.
Winter solitude-
in a world of one colour
the sound of the wind.”
Until next time,