Happy to see together 16 of my poems about school in this limited print edition. If you live in Australia and want a signed copy send $7 (includes postage) via PayPal to georgedanderson8@gmail.com. A huge thanks to John D. Robinson of Holy & Intoxicated Publications for putting this chapbook together!
Here's a sample:
Poetry Writing at Jibbon Beach
Spread out! Go get inspired!
I don’t want anyone sitting together
-The wet lip of the bay shimmering
& at my cool white feet a swirling tangle
of sea debris like shredded newspaper
& small spinning fragments of black dust
Nathan, get out of that tree!
You can’t write from up there!
What’s it got to be about, Miss?
Does it have to rhyme?
-Above Kurnell a Qantas jet angles
piercing the blue noon the bubbling rumble
entering through his feet & hands shaking
pummelling the floppy neck of moment’s sweet silence
Miss, do you have a new pencil, mine broke?
OWWWW!! Stop chucking rocks Ryan!
Time’s up class- we’re going up the hill to read our poetry
Miss, mine’s going to kick ass! This is how it goes:
‘The girl I saw at Bundeena
Oh man! You should have seen her
The sparkle of her gleaming hair
Could dazzle the pants off a grizzly bear.
From the locals she had nothing to fear
Their eyes were focussed on the local deer’
Well done Nathan! Excellent use of end rhyme
And striking and original use of metaphor.
Trevor, you’re next.
Do I have to Miss?…
- the ferry back to Cronulla
wide steel windows of mansions
double glazed faceless
pulsing lifelong desires
starboard an unravelling
pan of sparkling yachts
the wind whispering
faintly upon pungent diesel
(originally published by Five Bells, Journal of The Poets' Union)
Gifted & Talented
As a gift one year
a female student
gives me an expensive
silver pen which has
inscribed on it
in posh handwriting:
Greatest English
Teacher Ever
Let me tell you
she wasn’t the greatest
of students either.
Some thoughts on ‘The Portal: School Poems:
George Douglas Anderson
Published by Holy&intoxicated Publications
Although in size and volume ‘The Portal’ is small in stature, it is in fact a big fat mother of a chapbook: the tempered music of the classrooms and its inhabitants have been hammered down silently: the lava flow of words sear with insightful and observations of humanity in its early stages and beyond: there is a value in Anderson’s work that is on the run, it is wanted, for all the right reasons: read : An Early Education: The Poet: Portal;: My HSC Advice: Ribena: as you will feel this yourself: Anderson’s humour punches through here and there but his gentle grip on compassion is strong and intelligent : As a publisher this book was A MUST PRINT: the cover art by Rory Anderson is alone worth the $5:00 and also the art work within: A big fat mother of a book hiding its depth: this is one reason why I love chapbooks: I was left, wanting to read more:
John D Robinson:
Poet/writer/artist
Holy&intoxicated Publications: UK
“What I like about Anderson's work is that he writes in the language he knows and without attempt to be "poetical." This lack of pretense, plus his ironic detachment and sense of humor, are the engagingly human qualities that make his work, for me, a pleasure to read.”
Wayne F. Burke
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