Sundance of Shadow: The collected poems of Kylie Oakes

Kylie Oakes discovered her gift for poetry early and at the age of fourteen won first and second prizes in a competition offered for juniors by the Sunraysia branch of the Fellowship of Australian Writers. As time passed Kylie continued to write perceptive, probing poetry until she achieved something close to perfection in her preferred writing style. Her legacy consists of more than 120 poems, many of them gathered in chronological order by Kylie herself and many retrieved from desk drawers, computers, manila folders and the magazine Tamba, to which she contributed regularly until her death at the age of thirty-two in 2006.

EXTRACTS FROM THE COLLECTION

City woman on a train

She sits in the corner
barricaded in
by her shopping trolley
Mature, well-groomed, tall
back straight against the wall
Reading a book called
The Strength In Us All
with sad intensity

Cat

deep eyes
burgundy skies
long flowing river

the cat prowls

these are the eyes
that awed pharaohs
the soft paws
that lost dynasties of kings

Purchase Sundance of Shadow for $22.50AUD plus postage online at the foot of this page, or direct by mail from Lois Oakes, telephone 58216663.

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Impasse: A Search into the Unforeseen by Raymond Burt

A man of varied interests. Writing has occupied him for many years. Impasse is a collection of poetry distilled from the last seventeen years. The poems cover many topics from major world events and famous people through to the intimate moments between a mother and child.
At fifty one Ray has experienced a rich and varied life that includes, racing cars, studying accounting, theology, ancient Egyptian and Hebrew. He worked as a gardener prior to an accident that left him paraplegic. A devout Christian, he strives beyond his disability to surmount the challenges life presents.
Ray is a member of the Goulburn Valley Writers Group

THE SEA

The soaring bows of her Charismatic bows
Wave, through the Dimmer, of waves remit
She spoke softly to him, those mighty dragoons
Of the Deep, softly they spoke , a gentle array
The Tear softly reminisced, a Curtain of Dread
Across the Timbers, of that Cutty Shark as
The Mainstle astream wit gladness streamed her
Masts a tightened, a glimmer of Sadness pooled their
Eyes of Tears across the leading edge of the Bow
Sat, a woman of deepening depths of keel
As those mighty Gorgons protesting a Spinnaker
Announced, a Stream of Dreamt, she plowed through
The Depths of a Wave.

Paperback, 184 pages
Publisher: Authorhouse
Dimensions:10.75?H x 8?W x 0.25?D
ISBN-10: 1434336832
ISBN-13: 9781434336835
Available at bookshops in Shepparton and on the web at:

http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail~bookid~47866.aspx

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The Guardians’ Bane by Simone Clark

Simone Clark, began writing at the age of twelve. After major back surgery at the age of eighteen she decided to take writing seriously.
After leaving high school she completed an Associate Diploma of Office Administration at TAFE, and then spent at Bible College in South Australia.
In 1998, she married and her son Joshua was born in 2000. In 2004 she unexpectedly became a widow.
She is currently studying for a BA. Since attending TAFE she has worked hard at developing her writing with the aim of becoming a published author, which she has achieved with the publication of this book, The Guardians’ Bane.
Simone is a member of the Goulburn Valley Writers Group.

The Guardians of the underground land of Nainya have watched over the desolate people on the surface for years, protecting them against evil. But war is brewing in the barren wastes of Hymbroli, and Katarna, the only Guardian who can stop the advance of the enemy, has vanished into the desolate land. It is up to Myst, her sister, to seek out the missing Guardian. Myst and her companions, Shadow, Boar and Wanderer, find themselves in a desperate race to reach Katarna before the enemy – but with the Guardians themselves torn between darkness and light, and their foes attacking at every turn, can they do it?

The Guardians’ Bane
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781847480149
Publisher: Athena Press Publishing Company
Pages: 104
Can be purchased at bookstores throughout Shepparton and over the internet at. http://www.thenile.com.au/books/Unknown/Guardians-Bane/9781847480149/ or from the publisher at http://www.athenapress.com/book.php?ID=2530

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A morning compass poems by Roger Furphy

Roger Furphy was born in Shepparton in 1940. A retired foundry man with a name depicting rumour and exaggeration, he believes what he writes.
After retirement in 2000, Roger applied his mind to writing and in particular poetry. He has published two other collections of poetry, Footsteps Passing, 2001 and Moments Passing, 2003. is his third collection of poetry and his fifth published book. Roger has a poet’s eye for the intimate detail of his subject matter, often the events and relationships of his daily life. His poems are generally brief and accessible. Their appeal comes from word pictures Roger has shaped into poetic forms that suit his approach to his chosen subject.

Extracts from the collection

River Life

Above the sparkle
of an old man winking
small whirlpools
float shy dimples
the river bank is
drawing me down
the handrail of roots
from its slide of clay
to the stagnant water
and quiet reflections
or the push of current
with its distant soundtrack
of crows lumbering in flight
and parrots chattering
the music written
by morning sun
on the river reaches
and its shaded bends

The Hammy
Half of Melbourne
knows of the ‘hammy’,
knows it better than their hearts
pumping winter blood.
Its duration five to six weeks,
its tear of cartilage
grist to Monday’s news sheets
devoured and recycled
to the snap shot
of a player benched,
his childlike expression
unbelieving, wild-eyed
as a fawn with a broken leg
while half of Melbourne
take him to their beds, and dream
of next week’s selection

Roger’s book can be purchased at:

Collins Booksellers 189 Maude Street
The Shepparton Art Gallery Shop, Welsford Street, Shepparton or
Direct through the authors website at www.furphywords.com
for $20.00 plus postage.

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Blackbird Singing by Alan Mathews

On Sunday October 8th a new book was launched at Shepparton’s EastBank arts facility: ‘Blackbird Singing’ by Alan Mathews. This book is a delightful compendium of poetry and prose by Alan, a retired orchardist who lives in Shepparton, Victoria. For some years the editor of Tamba – a literary magazine – he is also a winner of the Joseph Furphy Commemorative Literary Prize, the Goulburn Valley Regional Library Short Story Competi­tion and the June Yorke-Moore Award for Poetry, and has been short listed several times. His writing has appeared in various magazines and newspapers, and been read over radio.

Blackbird Singing

In “Blackbird Singing” Alan Mathews
brings us his own songs gathered along the way.
Poignant, thoughtful, and laced with a zany humour,
they are indeed an ‘Entertainment in Writing’.
“Whether sharing his sense of fun
or his reflections on life, the writer has an
enviable gift for approaching his readers
through friendly accessible language…
a gifted writer.”

Patrick Crudden

Reviewer and judge of literary awards

Some extracts from the book

BLACKBIRD SINGING

A blackbird perched by our bedroom window,
sprinkling the urban morning with song.
Our spirits went smiling
to breakfast.

Our garden became his concert hall
with special performances
from the TV antennae.
No modest bird, this one!
He puffed his chest
and sang with all his heart
dimpling the air with melody,
revelling in his gift.
A feathered Pavarotti!

Of course, he sang for a mate
nesting somewhere in our trees,
but to us it seemed he sang for everyone.
His message was simple:
Life’s great!

The storm struck like a giant’s fist!
Shrieking, it split trees, blew roofs away,
flooded roads and houses.
Next morning we inspected our damage –
limbs down, shrubs crushed, windows broken.
But most telling of all was
the utter silence.

Our Pavarotti was gone.
Blown far away, probably killed by flying debris…
Yes, he was gone.

Well, that’s life, isn’t it?
Some good person making the world a better place
Senselessly killed, some beautiful location
Destroyed.
Yes that’s how it goes.

We grieved for our lovely singer.
Our imagination had fleshed out,
Made him our companion as well as entertainer.
The space he left was surprisingly large .

Days become normal, carried us along.
Then, incredulously, one morning-
A ripple of birdsong!
We hurried outside.
On TV antennae

A blackbird puffed his chest
And sang with his heart.
Pavarotti? One of his brood?
We could never tell
We were just thankful for his song.

The book is available in Shepparton at the following venues: Focus Cards and Gifts Maude street Mall;
Collins Booksellers 189 Maude Street; Book City 262 Maude Street; Lovell’s Newsagency 246 Wyndham Street.
Or from the Author Alan Matthews at: PO Box 6969 Shepparton Vic. 3632 Australia
The price is $ 21.95 Plus $ 2.50 for postage and handling if ordered direct.