Flora Smith & Dick Alderson. Special Series Poetry Reading Saturday October 22nd 2011

Saturday 22nd October, starting at 7:30 pm Fringe Gallery is excited to present the first in its new special series of poetry readings. Open mic as always, get there early to sign up! Wine and nibbles available. Entry by donation.


Flora Smith began writing poetry 8 years ago and has been widely published in journals and anthologies around Australia, including Westerly, Stylus Poetry Journal and Famous Reporter.
She writes about people: their failings, hopes and dreams.
Her curiosity about people led her to study and teach foreign languages, and to a great love of travel, which she finds a rich source of material for her poetry.
She reads her work in various venues in Perth and Fremantle, and believes in actively serving the Perth poetry community.
She believes that poetry should be readily accessible to all people, not dressed in obscure concepts and long words.

A poem from Flora;


RAGTIME ROSEMARY

I have you in sepia,
war-bride aunt who sailed away.

Head thrown back
eyes laughing
posing with a purse
an elegant flower on your jacket.
All set for an evening out
or maybe
you’ll just change for tennis
charm the court
and win the game.

I have you in sepia.
You lived colour
conducting life
with an ivory cigarette holder
dancing your favourite ragtime
into the music
of a new life,
four boys,
the dirty California air

and uncle writing
when your lungs were gone.




Dick Alderson grew up in Perth on a small farm with chickens and orange trees. He became an engineer and at various times lived in Sydney and London. Having finally done all that, he started writing poetry in 1994. His poems have appeared in Fremantle Arts Review, Marginata, Blue Dog, Indigo and Westerly, and anthologies such as EmPowa and The Weighing of the Heart.