AN UPDATE FROM CATCHMENT – February 2024
Released on 21 December 2023, the first edition of Catchment – Poetry of Place has drawn very positive feedback.
As a number of you will know, our journal contains work in two poetic forms, Western free verse and Japanese tanka.
Some of its 65 poets come from Baw Baw Arts Alliance’s own region.
Beyond Gippsland, places from all Australian states and territories are also depicted, extending to overseas locations.
Strong support for Catchment has emerged in a posting made online by Gregory Piko.
A former secretary of the Australian Haiku Society, he is a widely published, prize-winning poet who works in both Japanese and Western forms.
Through this link to his poetry website, readers will see Greg giving a strong introduction to Catchment: http://gregorypiko.com/2024/02/14/catchment-poetry-of-place/
He features fine examples of work in each of the two styles of poetry found in our journal.
As Gregory Piko has kindly gone on to specify, the submission window for the second edition of Catchment will open on 21 March 2024.
This opportunity to offer a new set of poems showing a sense of location will continue until May 21.
Issue # 2 of Catchment will go live online through the Bbaa’s website on June 21.
Again, poets resident in Australia can offer work focussed on place in two poetic genres:
either poetry springing from the Western tradition (in free verse or European forms);
or tanka (the longer sibling of the haiku, also from Japan);
or both.
Poets who made submissions last time are thanked deeply for their support.
We encourage you all to offer further poems!
A key point of difference will become more evident, however, once the new submission window opens on March 21.
Catchment has only a small team: developing the first edition was rewarding, yet a large undertaking.
In order to make editing/ formatting/ uploading more practicable/ sustainable, our IT team members have gained access to a digital proforma.
Pieces of poetry will need to be submitted through this in future.
New guidelines plus reminders will be provided in due course.
In the meantime, we thank all supporters of Catchment for their backing.
Lovers of Australian writing are encouraged to visit the website of Gregory Piko as well.
Yours through poems,
Rodney Williams
Editor
Catchment – Poetry of Place
bawbawartsalliance.org.au/catchment
editors.catchment@bawbawartsalliance.org.au