Issue 14: Michael Farrell

My perspective is that these are poems from Europe, as I’m writing

this in Melbourne, regarding poems that are included in this feature

because I lived in Rome for six months last year* (and went to

Prague and went to Berlin and stayed in Rome). This is how I met

these poets or got to hear these poems. But I forget that Blackbox

Manifold is also based in Europe. Is that true? As a coral, it’s hard

to be sure. Corals reproduce both sexually and asexually. Poets

can reproduce like other humans but do not reproduce poetry.

Poetry reproduces poetry. If that is sexual or asexual depends

what role you think the poet plays. Corals are coloured by algae,

but also by their own proteins: we might think of poems as being

coloured by images, tones, language, or by the brown, green, blue,

red eyes of their readers. “Corals' many colours give it appeal for

necklaces and other jewellery … Red coral is very rare because of

overharvesting”. Coral is also used in cancer and AIDS treatments,

and in bone grafting.^ I hope you like these poems. Protect the reef!°

*Courtesy of the Australia Council BR Whiting Studio residency.

^ Information on corals taken from Wikipedia. Spelling has been

changed to preserve the differential.

° I mean the Great Barrier Reef, but all reefs and all corals.

Here are two links: that of the Australian Government:

and that of activist group Getup:

https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/coal-seam-gas/great-barrier-reef/save-the-reef

which has a petition.