Yesterday sounds rather nostalgic
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| Yesterday sounds rather nostalgic... launch platter for book release number 19. |
Well how good is this? Not just the tasty launch platter that is in store for a small gathering for the launch of my latest book tonight, but the fact that Yesterday sounds rather nostalgic becomes my 19th book release! But read on... there's an even bigger twist to this story!
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| This book is my definitive collection of poetry. |
35 years after first having a poem published in a small newspaper in rural Victoria, I set about collating a collection of my best contemporary poems to date. Instead, what transpired was a story within a collection of poetry that as the back cover depicts best, is poignant in its nostalgic depiction of the future, and delivers a raw, observational retrospect that dances between the lines of a journey from adulthood to the other side of parenthood. As such, the book cuts a swathe through more than three decades of my life, ending in a culmination of new poems that leave a punctuation mark on a period of my life that I'll never get to live again. It is a book that I am immensely proud of, and one which culminated in producing my first short film.
I still return to the poem as a voice. It has been the one constant in my writing since winning my high school's writing awards back in 1987-88-89. Now here I am 35 years later, and I'm discovering a new voice. Once again through the medium of poetry. The spoken word. Visualised, and brought to life in a different medium that I hadn't stopped to consider until wondering just how I could get this book heard of.
The short film is based around the poem We'll still make do, which itself is a feature of the book. The hefty 8 minute long poem is just 1of 42 poems featured inside the book, and was recorded in one take before being subjected to a 2 week long video editing process to visually bring the story to life. Both the book and the film are something I hope I will one day be remembered by. Like any project I throw myself into, there was once more a lot of learning required to be able to say that I'll enjoy watching the premiere tonight alongside a small crowd, knowing I oversaw the entire production myself. From writing, to editing, book layout, cover design, voice over and video editing.
It's been one giant project. One that was made even more complicated this month by the passing of my father. The final visits and funeral that followed have really impacted my view on the time we are given in this crazy dance called life. Losing a parent removes part of that buffer that stands between here and the end. It has awoken the realisation that this time I have, is all I've got. Although the book had already been completed, working on a video project that was punctuated by hospital visits and funerals led to the idea to record the voiceover in one take.
You only get one take in life, and the poem We'll still make do is a reflection on life, from meeting your partner through to raising a family and watching as your children grow and go their own way. It's a period that for my wife and I, we'll not get to live through again. I'm fortunate. We're both fortunate really, to have made do through the circumstances that life throws at each of us. That's what this poem/short film is all about. The celebration of seeing our children attempt the same things that we are only now realising we've already achieved.
I do hope you enjoy the short film, or long visual poem. Whatever you want to call it is fine. I'm already planning a follow-up. Wherever you are, just be sure to enjoy the moment you are in. Sometimes in the rush of life we don't realise how good things really are until they're over.
The book is now available to buy or download through
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