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Order a copy of War Spoils
OtheR Publications By Paul Dobbyn
The Go Between and other poems ucan place/Siftings from a Shovel-Nose Corona: darker detours, 2019; 120 pages; $25 (postage extra); ISBN: 9780648697107
The book is once again in the tête-bêche style. The Go Between features poems of place from Mt Isa to Madrid. Siftings from a Shovel-nose Corona has a more personal touch, in one section tracking a journey the author took alone across Australia from the Northern Rivers, after the disintegration of his first marriage and subsequent separation from his five children.
The title piece of Siftings is influenced by 17th Century Japanese poet Basho’s haibun style.
In The Go Between, verse alone is used. Here, other muses emerge including the engineers and construction workers on the bridge from which this part of the book draws its name. Always the intent is to capture the spirit of place, as it entranced the author in journeys to the likes of Melbourne, Moree, Taree and Mount Isa.
In West Australia in the 70s, the author is found wandering a wildflower-bright bush track with a couple of mates and their Doberman. The poem, “Blame It On The Flowers”, was highly commended in the West Australian Fellowship of Writers’ Tom Collins prize in 1975.
Soul Healing Afoot/Dead Dad Bye, 2008; 86 pages; $20 (postage extra); ISBN: 9780646512556
The fourth book of Brisbane poet Paul Dobbyn – in the tête-bêche style, so two books in one – draws from a deep well of life experience and careers ranging from high school teaching to journalism to selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door.
In the words of reviewer and poet, Liz Hall-Downs, “these are deeply felt, considered, highly-crafted poems about the challenges of middle age, about weathering divorce and rebuilding a life from its ashes, and about facing the death of an elderly parent – but they are not devoid of humour and, often, clever word play”.
The often close-to-the-bone poems are complemented by the starkly beautiful linocuts of graphic design artist Gemma O’Brien, now internationally respected for her artistry.
War Spoils – the poem, 1994; 20 pages; $8.50 (postage extra); ISBN: 978064619030X (paperback)
This chapbook, a poem in six parts, recreates the experiences of the author’s grandfather, uncle and father as they fought through battlefields from Europe to Papua New Guinea.
In War Spoils, Dobbyn also addresses his ‘baby boomer’ generation “within whose ears boom distant sounds of strife”.
Photos of his ancestors in military uniform, and himself (fortunately out of uniform) in their early twenties also help flesh out the saga.
The Siren of Shop 19 & other versions of modern verse, 1991; 84 pages; $15 (postage extra)
Ecstacy, delirium, confusion, isolation, survival, compassion, speculation…even the odd erotic twitch…are but some of the signs of life the vacuum cleaner salesman/poet gleans on his travels through the Northern Rivers, and on the sales trail as far north as Mount Isa.
Poetry falls into illustrated sections: “Siren Calls from the Cool of Coles”, “Headless Dummies in the Basement”, “Reflections in a Fitting Room Mirror, “Soapbox Shocks in the Checkout Queue” and “Green Leaves (Concrete for Dead)”
And who or what is “the Siren of Shop 19”? Buy the book and find out!
Artwork by gifted Murwillumbah artist Dale Newman who counts actor Jack Thompson amongst his commissions.
Not many copies left of this one.
Storm Window & other poems, 1979; 60 pages; out of print
The author’s first foray into publishing. Contained within the book are two poems – “Sea Thoughts” and “Blame It On The Flowers” – both highly commended in the West Australian Fellowship of Writers’ Tom Collins Prize in 1974 and 1975 respectively.
Given distinguished Australian poet, Fay Zwicky, was on the judging panel, the author decided he should explore his talent more assiduously. More than 50 years later, he’s still at “it”
