Get moving to Flying Home, wherever that is (Free Poetry Event)
Melbourne Poets Union presents ‘Flying Home, wherever that is’
When is it on?
Sunday 31 October 2010 from 2 pm to 4 pm.
Where is it on at?
Immigration Museum, Flinders Street
How much and how do we book?
FREE EVENT
What’s the best train or tram stop?
Flinders St Station
Where can we get more information?
Melbourne Poets Union’s website
Tell us a little about Melbourne Poets Union
Melbourne Poets Union is a voluntary organisation promoting poets and poetry in Melbourne through monthly events: workshops, readings, panel discussions. We publish a bi-monthly newsletter and occasional poets’ chapbooks.
What will people experience when they come to the reading?
October is our annual bilingual event, which has been held at the Immigration Museum for the last 2 years. This year it is a panel discussion focusing on the concept of ‘home’, particularly but not exclusively in the case of immigrants revisiting their home country. Panellists will include readings from their texts and discussion will be followed by an open section, in which reading in languages other than English (with translation) is encouraged. Panellists include: Lella Cariddi, Robyn Rowland, Maria Tumarkin, Ouyang Yu and Arnold Zable.
How long have you been working on this event? And what’s been involved?
We have been working on this event for over a year. This included obtaining funding from the Victorian Multicultural Commission, the co-operation of the Immigration Museum in providing the venue (and their publicity) free of charge and inviting the guest panellists.
Where did you draw your inspiration from?
I (Marietta Elliott-Kleerkoper) drew inspiration from my own experience as an immigrant. In 2008, I went back to Amsterdam, city of my birth, for 3 months. I found this a painful and confusing experience, from which I have not quite recovered, which led me to question where ‘home’ was, or whether I was condemned to feel home was ‘elsewhere’, no matter where I was. I talked to a lot of people, not only immigrants, who, when visiting the place where they grew up, had similar experiences.
In 10 words or less why should people get moving and check it out?
Great topic, great writers, opportunity to read your work and get involved.
What was your biggest challenge along the way?
The biggest challenge is ahead of us in running the actual event!
What’s next for Melbourne Poets Union?
Our final event for the year is the announcement of prize winners of the MPU International Poetry Competition (there’s still time to enter!) and judge’s report, and, of course our Christmas party! November 26 at the Wheeler Centre, 176 Little Lonsdale St.
