AUSTRALIAN POETS AT WORK SERIES 1
Grant Caldwell
Selected by Coral Hull
[Above] Photo of Grant Caldwell by Dennis Claringbold, 2002.
CH: Do you believe that human beings have a purpose?
GC: very tough question. instinct rather than reason says "yes" - to make the next spiritual leap? I like what the taoists say and gertrude stein. the tao teh ching (lao tzu) first verse says (something like - there are many and various translations): transcend life (self/desire) in order to observe it; immerse in life (self/desire) in order to experience it. the taoists also say: he who speaks does not know, he who knows does not speak. and gertrude stein, shortly before she died said: "what is the answer; therefore what is the question". the penguin book of modern quotations has placed a question mark after each of these statements!
CH: What is your favourite animal and why?
GC: animal: dog (dingo/wolf too), elephant, otter, dolphin - for their grace, beauty, intelligence, community. also birds like eagle, magpie, sparrow, kookaburra, blackbird; and insects: ants.
CH: What advice do you have for young poets?
GC: advice for young poets: a) don't try b) don't take yrself too seriously c) read read read - poetry that turns u on, gets you - learn more by osmosis than analysis d) be fearless, enjoy yrself (forget about
"audience" - besides, if yr not entertaining yrself you're unlikely to engage anyone else).
CH: What are you afraid of?
GC: afraid? another tough question. dying before i'm 88; sharks; being misunderstood; unintentionally hurting someone.
CH: Why is poetry important to you?
GC: poetry - talking what, when, how i like; exploring universe/unconscious/subconscious/consciousness all at the same time - discovering what i've been "thinking/feeling" - with meaningful symbols (words) - finding darkness and humour - laughing at my own jokes, tears. etc.
CH: Talk about when you first fell in love?
GC: in love? or in crush? she was in 3rd grade - jennifer buttersomething (or am i just imagining this?) - long blond hair, green eyes; aged ten, girl almost next door - maxine - in both cases i was awestruck, speechless, in their presence.
CH: What traits do you like and dislike in others?
GC: like: integrity, receptiveness, egolessness, sense of humour. dislike: egocentricity, self-centredeness (are these the same?), bullying, drunks.
CH: What is your most memorable childhood incident?
GC: childhood: seeing our dog, binkie, fox terrier, getting killed by motorbike outside my house after me and brother and sister had just been caught pinching peaches from a neighbours tree; same dog tearing policeman's trousers when he came to deliver summons to my father, my father saying: good dog, good dog, patting him and laughing after cop had gone; walking on the "edge" of rain down our street, keeping just ahead of its "wall"; setting front hedge on fire; first day at primary school (I was late starting) being told by a boy: you're the new boy, we don't like you, we don't want you here. there are others but I'll leave it there.
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ontos farm
the release of the mind
everything still and flying
kookaburras and parrots
the southern cross
the song of castanet frogs
like aborigines chanting
harmonies of the ground
singing the sky
relentless and going for it
then stopping
to listen
just one going on like a clapstick
until it too stops
everything listening to itself
time and eternity
earth and sky
wallabies kissing in a twilight field
grabbing straws in their little hands
ears revolving
eros and oblivion
all this and the joey
and the young shoots of clover
they love so much.
wolves
we take her dog to the beach
to bathe its infected ear
and when she starts complaining
about her boyfriend again
I look away.
look, I say,
pointing at the dog,
he's found a friend.
a male labrador, ears pricked, is trying to mount it.
wrong kind, I say, laughing.
the labrador stops trying
and instead begins licking her dog's ear.
look at that! I say.
yes, she nods,
they've got a natural antiseptic in their saliva -
the wolves used to do it.
used to? I say.
oh, well, yes,
I suppose they still do,
the ones who're left.
I hear their numbers are increasing, I say,
coming back, in Germany and places.
wolves? she says.
yes.
that's good, I like wolves.
me too, I say,
and we look at the dogs -
and they're looking at us.
bird cage
when the parakeets fly over
shrieking and whistling
the bird
calls out to them
and listens
calls out
and listens
calls
and
turns and pecks
the little plastic mirror
with the bell on the bottom.
song for the death of birdsong
I have a song that is so profound
I have the song that is sacred
I have this song that is almost gone
I have two songs for the hatred
I am a bird in the hand
I am the bird in the painting
I am this bird that flies like a ghost
I am two birds in the making
tell me a story before you die
tell me the story of going
tell me this story so I can survive
tell me two stories of growing.
I have a song that is so profound
I have the song that is sacred
I have this song that is almost gone
I have two songs for the hatred
I am a bird with no song in my eyes
I am the bird forsaken
I am this bird on a dead branch at night
I am two birds who are taken.
tell me a story before you die
tell me the story of growing
tell me this story so I can survive
tell me two stories of going.
I am a bird in the hand
I am the bird in the painting
I am this bird that flies like a ghost
I am two birds in the making. |
About the Poet Grant Caldwell
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Grant Caldwell was born in Melbourne, began writing poetry in 1972 while teaching economics in a Victorian country secondary school; getting into Law, Architecture or Commerce at Uni of Melbourne. He had his first poetry published in 1973, and his first book in 1979, in Sydney. He lived and worked in London, Morocco and Spain for three years. He returned to Australia in 1977, and moved to Sydney to help with the small press magazine, SCOPP and devote his time to writing. He received two Vic Arts grants (1993 and 1994) and two Australia Council Fellowships (1992 & 1994). He moved back to Melbourne in 1992, where has lived ever since. He has been teaching writing (sessionally) at the School of Creative Arts (Uni of Melbourne) since 1995. In the late 70s and 80s he was part of the PERFORMANCE POETRY movement, and read/performed his poetry at hundreds of venues, mainly in Sydney and Melbourne. His work has appeared in many magazines and periodicals, and been broadcast on The ABC and other radio stations, and SBS television. He is currently completing a Master of Creative Writing at the University of Melbourne. He has completed a prequel and sequel to Malabata, making a trilogy of novels. |
[Above] Photo of Grant Caldwell by Dennis Claringbold, 2002.
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Exit I
Thylazine No.3 (March, 2001) |
