This page connects with our history page, our upcoming events and our guest blog.
Not to harp on, but 40 years for any organisation is a mammoth big deal. While maintaining our regular business this year we very much wanted to celebrate where we've been and who has been with us over the years. On this page you can find reviews and photos of specific birthday events and general celebratory backslapping from our friends and colleagues.
Melbourne Poets Union throws itself a birthday party
(event held on June 28th 2017)
Here at MPU we like to keep up with what's happening around town, and Footscray has a real buzz at the moment with new venues and poetry events popping up. One of those venues is The Night Heron on Nicholson St, Footscray. MPU's own Loran Steinberg has been running a very successful reading at this bar for a number of months and it was that relationship that lead us to choose The Night Heron as the venue for our 40th Birthday Party.
In the lead up we extended invitations to many former committee members and associated poets to come along and read. A couple were unable to health issues or sheer distance, but overwhelmingly the response was positive. Heck, if poets can't throw a party...
We were pleased to find a packed room full of people getting into the spirit of the thing (and a few just flat out into the spirits but of course). So great to hear not only the poems but also the stories from the last 40 years. Yes, some of our guests were there right from the beginning.
The full list of guest poets was: Paul Skec, Linda Stevenson, Jeltje & Sjaak de Jong, Jon Garrett, Ken Smeaton, Randall Stephens (aka Stephen Taylor) and Pi O. Now that's a list! MCing duties were shared between Michael Reynolds, Wendy Fleming and Steve Smart.
Ken Smeaton also provided a visual backdrop with footage going back to at least the 80s if not earlier. So funny to watch the poets on stage with their friends behind them (silently) on the screen. Occasionally one might even look up and see ones self looking back at one. It was also commented looking at the photos afterwards how often the expression of the poet on stage synced exactly with the expression of the poet on screen.
Our thanks to all who came and helped us make the night so special and we hope you'll join us for our 50th when the time rolls around.
xxSteve Smart
Current MPU President
In the lead up we extended invitations to many former committee members and associated poets to come along and read. A couple were unable to health issues or sheer distance, but overwhelmingly the response was positive. Heck, if poets can't throw a party...
We were pleased to find a packed room full of people getting into the spirit of the thing (and a few just flat out into the spirits but of course). So great to hear not only the poems but also the stories from the last 40 years. Yes, some of our guests were there right from the beginning.
The full list of guest poets was: Paul Skec, Linda Stevenson, Jeltje & Sjaak de Jong, Jon Garrett, Ken Smeaton, Randall Stephens (aka Stephen Taylor) and Pi O. Now that's a list! MCing duties were shared between Michael Reynolds, Wendy Fleming and Steve Smart.
Ken Smeaton also provided a visual backdrop with footage going back to at least the 80s if not earlier. So funny to watch the poets on stage with their friends behind them (silently) on the screen. Occasionally one might even look up and see ones self looking back at one. It was also commented looking at the photos afterwards how often the expression of the poet on stage synced exactly with the expression of the poet on screen.
Our thanks to all who came and helped us make the night so special and we hope you'll join us for our 50th when the time rolls around.
xxSteve Smart
Current MPU President
40th Birthday Party gallery - Photos by Di Cousens and Lish Skec
First up are a few shots we grabbed from Di's Facebook. Let us know if you have photos you'd like to contribute and we'll happily place them here.
And these ones are by Lish, thanks mate!
