MEMBERS NEWS NOVEMBER 2022
for Colleen Keating
Poem Petal by Petal, Highly Commended in the National Writing Poetry Competition 2022 (Society of Women Writers NSW )
Olive Muriel Pink: her radical and idealistic life, a poetic journey Highly Commended in the Society of Women Writers NSW Poetry Book Award 2022
Olive Muriel Pink: her radical and idealistic life, a poetic journey Short listed in the Society of Women Writers Poetry Book Award 2022 and Short Listed in the Society of Women Writers NSW Non-Fiction Book Award 2022
Launch by Emeritus Professor Anne Boyd AM of my book Olive Muriel Pink: her radical and idealistic life in the Olive Pink Botanic Garden, Alice Springs . Saturday 1st October 2022
Presenter at the festival forum: Olive Pink: from Obscurity to Centre Stage in Olive Pink Botanic Garden
Presenter of Miss Pink at the Aviation Museum forum, Alice Springs with three other participants on the subject Troublesome Women.
Shared poetry readings from my book on Olive Pink curated walks during the Olive Pink Festival in Alice Springs.
Lunch Time Poetry Reading at The Red Kangaroo Book Shop, Alice Springs.
Beachcomber New collection of poetry, published by Ginninderra Press February 2022
Research and presentation of poet Jane Hirshfield for September U3A meeting
One haiku published in Mozzie Vol 30 issue 2, July 2022
A tanka published in Eucalypt No. 32 ed. Julie Thorndyke
Two poems Ukraine and Life as we knew it published in Mozzie Vol. 30 Issue 1, July 2022
A poem From my Bedroom Window published in Mozzie Vol 29 Issue 9 ,March 2022
A poem Fifth Symphony published in Mozzie Vol 29 Issue 6, Nov 2021
New collection The Dinner Party accepted for publication by Ginninderra Press 2023.
Members News November 2021
‘Authors talk’ presentation “Who is Olive ?” on the publication of Olive Muriel Pink; her radical and idealistic life. Society of Women Writers, September Zoom Meeting.
To launch Strands and Ripples by David Atkinson , rescheduled for December. Published and available from Ginninderra Press website
Blurb for the back cover of the new book The Climb Back by Pip Griffin, published and available from Ginninderra press website
Two haiku accepted for #8 Open, Echnida Tracks for on-line summer publication.
One haiku published in the final edition of Windfall No 10 ed. Beverley George
Poem A meeting published in Mozzie Vol. 29 Issue 3 August 21
Poem While doing a grocery shop and three haiku in Vol 29 Issue 4 September
A tanka published in Eucalypt No. 31 ed. Julie Thorndyke
First edit completed of new poetry collection To breath with you , to be published early 2022.
Poem cherishing the moment in Anthology Milestones Poems selected by Stephen Matthews published by Ginninderra Press, S Australia
Five poems in Class Act, The Wednesday night poets, our first launch since lock down. Launched by Norm Neill 3rd Novemeber. ed Antonia Reiseger. Five Senses. 2021
Final proof read of my new poetry book To breathe with you to be published by Ginninderra Prees early 2022.
Members News August 2021
Launch of Olive Muriel Pink: her radical and idealistic life, to be launched by Emeritus Professor Andrew Hede PhD in the Garden of the Olive Pink Botanic Garden , Alice Springs
September 19th 2021 11 am postponed. May be a live broadcast/virtual launch )
Olive Muriel Pink: her radical and idealistic life, a poetic journey my new verse novel, ,published Ginninderra Press, August 2021
Poems, transience, grief, informing a landscape, Hyde Park dusk, accepted for new Anthology from Five poems published in Class Act ed. Antonia Reiseger & David Stewart
Poem, cherishing the moments accepted for Milestones, Anthology, published by Ginninderra Press
One haiku accepted for Windfall No. 10 ed Beverly George
Poem, Anamnesis published in Women’s Ink Society of Women Writers Winter 2021
Poem published in The Mozzie Vol.29 Issue 2 June 2021
Finding Hildegard through poetry, music and her mandalas A talk at the Benediction Library Glebe. August 17th 2021 Postponed
Blurb for the back cover of a new verse narrative, Virginia & Katherine: the Secret Diaries by Pip Griffin
Launch of Strands and Ripples by David Atkinson. Postponed .
Poem published in APC Issue 33 Australian Poetry Collaboration ed. Les Wicks
Presentation of a workshop for the Eastwood Branch of the U3A in collaboration with Michael Keating on the poet and poetry of Joy Harjo
Blurb for the back cover of the new book Envoi, selection of poetry of Ted Rutter selected by
Pip Griffin.
Members News March to May 2021
Presentation of a workshop for the Eastwood Branch of the U3A
in collaboration with Michael Keating on the poet and poetry of Joy Harjo
A blurb for the back cover of the new book Envoi Ted Rutter Selected Poems 1990-2017 by Pip Griffin
Members News for Colleen Keating May 2021 sent to SWW and FAW
Soft gaze by Colleen & Michael Keating. A Picaro Poets Collection,
March 2021 published by Ginninderra Press SA
Final edit of new verse novel , Olive Muriel Pink, her radical and idealististic life,
A poetic journey. to be published by Ginninderra Press SA.
Presentation given on writing my verse novel, Hildegard of Bingen:
A poetic journey to the Moocooboola FAW convened by John Egan.
Haiku accepted for Echidna Tracks #7 Light and Colour
Poem, Australia Day in journal The Crow ed Joan Fenney publ. Ginninderra Press. SA
Two poems in the new journal Oxygen Vol 1 ed Cheryl Howard Autumn 2021
Poem in The Mozzie When I could do Nothing Vol 29 2021
My verse novel Hildegard of Bingen, A poetic journey, accepted to be serialised
and read by Jo Van Kool for radio station RPH
Two tanka accepted for Eucalypt No 30
One haiku accepted for Windfall No. 9
Blurb written for the back cover of poetry collection – Strands and Ripples
by David Atkinson
Advance review of book Forbidden Grace by Rev. Shannon Sterringer,
PageMill Press, Alameda, CA
Members News Dec. 2020 – February 2021
Members News
Colleen Keating Sydney June 2020 – December 2020
Blurb written for back cover of the poetry Collection Now and Then by Joanna Van Kool : www.ginninderrapress.com.au
December 2020
Accepted for INTENSIVE WORKSHOP WITH LES WICKS FEBRUARY 2021
Book Review Hildegard of bingen – A poetic journey reviewed by Beatriz Copello Women’s Ink March 2020
A poem and short story in Society of Women Writers, NSW Inc 95th anniversary anthology Splash, Splish, Squawk
Poem Sydney to Melbourne in Mozzie Volume 27 Issue 10 May 2020
Poem Ritual in Mozzie Volume 28 Issue 2 July 2020
Poem Pandemic accepted by SWW for publication July.
Poem In search of Hildegard translated into German and made into a video as part of the Pilgrimage in honour of Hildegard of Bingen Germany in September 2020.
Poem Gardeners of Hope published in Holy Shenanigans Podcast of Pastor tara Eastman Central New York
Chapbook – Picaro Poets accepted for publication Brush of Birds for January 2021
Chapbook – Ginninderra Press Chapbook Mists of Time co edited with Decima Wraxall
New collection of poetry working title Salty Beachcomber accepted for publication in mid 2021 by Ginninderra Press
Tanka published in Eucalypt 29 A tanka journal
Haiku accepted for new Windfall 9 : Australian Haiku
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Hildegard von Bingen – A Poetic Journey – Launch Speechby Gisela NittelThank you, Sue, for your introduction. And thank you, Colleen, for the great honour of asking me to launch the book that’s been your magnificent obsession for a very long time. I’ll start by confessing that even though I was born in Germany and studied German literature to post-grad level, I knew little about H of B until recently. It’s not that I wasn’t exposed to the medieval era at Sydney University — as undergraduates we read the German equivalents of Beowulf and Chaucer, for example, but there was never any mention of H. Fast forward to 2019 with Colleen asking me to launch her book and I find I’m not only belatedly curious about this famous German woman, but newly conscious of a personal connection because |
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of the Bingen component in her name. You see, Bingen is a German town on the Rhine River, and I was born in a German town on the Rhine River (south of Bingen). And I share my surname with a town located not far from Bingen. So I found myself wondering: Who was this H, whom my distant ancestors may well have known (or at least heard of)? A woman whose life and legacy continue to be celebrated (not just in Germany but internationally) almost a millennium after she was born? Most importantly, what was it about H that so mesmerised my non-German-speaking, Australian poetry friend, that she travelled to Germany three times to tread the same ground. What a fascinating woman she must have been for Colleen to spend two decades immersing herself in the life and work of this Benedictine Abbess, and transforming that research into more than 100 poems — no doubt in the hope of infecting others with what I like to call “Hildy fever”. It certainly worked in my case! After reading these poems, and being inspired to find out more, I now understand why Col fell in love with this Sibyl of the Rhine for St H was by any measure a most extraordinary woman — dizzyingly prolific writer, gifted composer, skilled naturalist, revered mystic, expert healer and dedicated missionary. And not just a dabbler but genuinely accomplished in these fields — a true polymath. Her CV would be impressive enough for a man of her era. For a woman her achievements can only be described as astonishing. Even by today’s standards, H was prolific in her writing. Her first work, Scivias (Know the Ways (of |
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the Lord)) was 150,000 words long — that’s the length of two doctoral dissertations in the 21st century! (Imagine doing that in an era of wax tablets and parchment.) This magnum opus (in which H documented her extensive spiritual visions) took 10 years to complete. But H wasn’t done with writing at this point: two more lengthy tomes followed — one that took 7 years and another that took 10. These three writing marathons are even more remarkable when you |
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consider that H started writing her first book when she was 43, and finished her third and final book at the age of 75. Truly an inspiration to all of us who write! In the field of music, H composed 77 liturgical songs and an allegorical morality play (which was, I understand, the first of its kind). And in her role as a healer, H completed two major medical treatises. In addition to her major works, she completed books on the lives of saints, and her literary legacy comprises volumes of correspondence including letters to VIPs like the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. No wonder there’s a cornucopia of publications, translations, web sites and societies devoted to H. This book, however, [hold up Col’s book] is a unique contribution to this field because it has transformed H’s life into poetry — into poems that engross us with their immersive reimagining of |
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H’s persona and experiences; poems that give us the sense that we are there, witnessing the highs and lows through H’s own eyes. Right from the start, we’re hooked by the drama and suspense that Colleen creates via the cinematic technique of flashback in the two opening poems, which drop us into H’s life at 81, in what is clearly a moment of crisis: our heroine in the cemetery, alone and trembling with rage; her frail but determined body pulling and heaving at a large wooden cross. “What on earth is going on?” we wonder. “Why is she doing this?” Having sparked our curiosity, Colleen then cuts back to the young H on her way to become a nun. From there we accompany her on a long and fascinating journey, which reveals to us the significance of that moment in the cemetery and its consequences. Throughout the book Colleen skilfully balances moments of high drama with the joy and calm of quotidian life at the abbey. In the poem “Anticipation” (p. 129), for example, we read: “The sisters prune, pickle and preserve, / plait the garlic / to hang from the cross-pull beams, […] / take turns to press the grapes.” Colleen’s poems are full of such lyrical attention to detail — detail that often interweaves multiple senses. Let me quote from p. 179: “It’s a time of tumbling leaves, abundance of fruit, grapes, apples, wild plums, mulberries, quinces, hazels, chestnuts, all for the picking. // She smells stench of malt, |
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dye houses, recoils at the reek of tanneries. Her ears prick at the clang of forges, mills and water wheels, tune into the lilt of troubadours and balladeers.” And what about this delightful example of synaesthesia: “Aroma of pickles zings from the kitchen.” (p. 223) Another aspect of this book that delights me is the thoughtful inclusion of background material that supplements and enhances the poems. Col’s bibliography contains two pages of primary and secondary references as well as background reading and a discography. There’s an excellent set of |
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endnotes; a glossary for those of us unfamiliar with terms like “simony”; a map showing H’s journeys; and a handy list of characters to refer to when we wonder, “Guda? Where does she fit into the picture again?” Col’s aim here was to find “a middle ground between an accurate scholarly presentation of H and a personal interpretation of her story”. Colleen has achieved this to Goldilocks level – or should I say “Hildegard” level — here and indeed in every aspect of this book. The story of Hildegard is not just one about a truly remarkable woman but one that also exemplifies the spirit of friendship, community, humanity, perseverance, resilience and courage in the face of opposition, adversity and injustice. As such it’s a story to inspire us all. Colleen’s poems do that story more than justice so I commend this book to all of you. Congratulations on this wonderful “labour of love”, Colleen. I am both delighted and honoured to |
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declare your book officially launched. |
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Speech after the launch Of Hildegard.
by Colleen Keating
Hildegard of Bingen: A poetic journey is launched. Thank you Gisela. I am so pleased I asked you to be the launcher and thrilled you accepted. You bring that scholarly touch of which Hildegard would approve, especially as you love the German language and culture and their poets and being born near the Rhine is very special to me.
Thanks to Sue the convenor of WWN for your welcome to country. And a very special thank you to Nigel Parry for your presence. I am sure the cello would’ve been close to Hildegard’s heart if it had been invented. It took another 300 years for that. Nigel and Helen have only just returned from a wonderful musical and family journey in Europe and I appreciate them being here.
Hildegard says, there is no truer, deeper or more cosmic way to celebrate ‘being’ than to make music. And music she made. And so please enjoy Nigels music today. Thank you.
I would like to make a special note of thanks to Ginninderra Press, Brenda and Stephen Matthews who are invaluable to poetry and poets.
Most of you have been part of this Poetic Journey.
The Wednesday Poetry group which meets in the library here and lead by the poet Norm Neill. Thank you. I know the early days of Hildegard seemed forever but it was Norm who gave me a lot of help and you all jollied me along.The Women Writers Network that meets upstairs and have followed Hildegard week in week out for a few years – Thank you to all of you especially our convenor Sue and Decima for your love and support and for your part in this yummy spread of food to share.
And the FAW group a big thank you to Pip Griffin for her painstaking editing and John Good to see you here.
To my Poetry Appreciation U3A group thank you Ron and Gisela for your leadership and for many of our group being here this afternoon.
To the Society Of Women Writers , Jan and Susan and others here I hope you are proud of having a new book as part of our collection. And to Beverley and our White Pebbles Haiku group all the way from the Central Coast I am so happy you are here to celebrate. Lastly thank you my friends and especially my family, Marg flying from Brisbane. Andy being so supportive in marketing and especially our children and grandchildren. I am proud you could be here.
As you will read in the introduction it has been a 20 year dream to bring this to reality. Without your support this would not be so take a bow each one of you. Even being here today shows your interest in bringing Hildegard to Sydney.
One evening in 1967 (52 years) I sat in a tropical school grounds with New Guineas girls in what was at the time a small village called Madang on the North West coast of Papua New Guinea. We peered at the moon and I tried to explain to the girls, and also to myself, that people were at this moment walking on this tiny pearl-white-silver heavenly object.
We had no television to watch,. . We did have Radio Australia to hear static like magic of the words “One small step for man; one giant step for mankind” The rest was left for the imagination
It was only years later on my return back to Sydney, I saw the first photos of planet Earth taken from Space Craft. It took my breath away. It sends me into a sublime state even still today when I come across this image. I just look in amazement. A few years later I came across some Mandalas from a German Mystic of the 12th century called Hildegard of Bingen and read her words of urgency for our reawakening of love and care for our fragile planet. It was prophetic. It was as if she had seen the photo taken by the Astronauts and her words struck a chord in my heart. With one of her cosmic mandalas she wrote:
“The earth is at the same time mother, she is mother of all that is natural, mother of all that is human.” And I went on the search for more of this woman.
I like to think of this Poetic Journey as a bridge thrown over a stream of time which unites the ancient medieval and the modern, for it is written of a 12th century world but speaks for us today
The reason it still matter is because it is the story of a woman, an everywoman who sets out hopefully in this life and with all the struggles of hill and dale and against the odds she lives her life to the full.
Read Feather on Breath of God Pg 57
She did not just live her life in her time, she is with us still. She calls to us across nine hundred years from her 12th century to our 21st’. She calls for the care of the earth.
It is not easy to float like a feather on the breath of god and yet be earthed as an acorn cracking open to be seeded and rooted in to the earth yet Hildegard of Bingen shows us how.
So my friends to finish
When Hildegard composed music for her sisters to sing daily she believed in joyful celebration
She said:
Be not lax in celebrating.
Be not lazy in the festive service
Be ablaze with enthusiasm.
Let us be alive in our song.
So let us be alive in our song here at Rozelle and celebrate.
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Members News
Colleen Keating Sydney October 2019 – May 2020
A verse novel Finding Olive? A poetic journey with Olive Pink, has been accepted by Ginninderra Press for publication in mid 2021.
A Silver Nautilus Award for Hildegard of Bingen: A poetic journey. May 2020. Nautilus Book Awards – Better Books for a Better World, Seattle, Washington State, USA
Poem Rock a bye Baby published in Anthology, I Protest! Poems of Dissent, ed. Stephen Matthews, Ginninderra Press May 2020
A new collection of poetry Desert Patterns, Ginninderra Press February 2020. A virtual launch at the Olive Pink Botanical Garden Alice Springs March 17th 2020 .
Mood Indigo in collaboration with poet Pip Griffin, published by Picaro Poets, December 2019.
Shared Footprints in collaboration with Michael Keating published Picaro Poets, February 2020.
Poem the gully published in Anthology, Mountain Secrets, Ginninderra Press ed. Joan Fenney 2019
Poem the gully read at launch of Anthology 2nd November 2019
Panel member of Ginninderra Press Blackheath Celebrations giving a talk on A sense of Place in our Writing.
Poem Code Red, in Eureka Street Journal 13th January 2020
Tanka in Eucalypt Issue 29 ed. by Julie Thorndyke.
The Landscapes of the Heart in collaboration with John Egan published by Picaro Poets, 2018
Haiku in Windfall Issue 8 ed. Beverley George
Workshop given in partnership with Michael Keating for U3A Searching for T.S. Eliot in his Four Quartets
Poems Bells and Morning Glory in Anthology, Love’s Footprint ed. by Maree Silver & Leigh Hay , Poetica Christie Press 2019
Poem, struggle in exile in The Good Oil Journal , December 2019.
Hildegard of Bingen: A poetic journey launched by award winning poet and writer
Dr. Gisela Nittel 13th October 2019.
Workshop given in partnership with Michael for U3A morning on Gwen Harwood the poet.
November 2019
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Members News 2018 –2019
Proof reading of manuscript, Hildegard of Bingen: A Poetic Journey Ginninderra Press for publication mid year 2019
Collection of poetry Desert Patterns accepted by Ginninderra Press for publication late 2019
Haiku published in Windfall Issue 7 2019
Poem fractured moonlight chosen for Christmas copy The Good Old SGS December 2018
Poem friendship in Mozzie Vol 26 Issue 10 December 2018
Poem horizon in Tamba issue No. 63 December 2018
Review of Fire on Water Poetry Collection 2017 in Tamba issue No. 63 December 2018
by Helene Castles
Tanka (2) in Eucalypt Summer No. 25
Poetry Masterclass Grant with Vanessa Kirkpatrick at Varuna National Writers House, 3rd – 9th December 2018
Poems after the massacre and grandma’s recipe book in Mozzie Vol 26 Issue 9 October 2018
Haiku (2) in Echidna Track 2 Landscape December to March.
A Review of a member’s book One Woman’s Journey in Summer Women’s Ink 2108
Poetry Chapbook Landscapes of the Heart by John Egan and Colleen keating published Ginninderra Press 2018
Poem horizon with acknowledge Chapbook Landscape of the Heart in Mozzie Vol 26 Issue 8 2018
Poem not narcissus in Valley Micropress Vol 21 Issue 7 by invitation (First prize in open section of Mozzie Poetry Comp.)
Poem Resignation Syndrome in Eureka Journal 23rd October
Poems (3) kunanyi ,country bumpkin, and blank page in Positive Word October Issue 2018
Workshop for SWW on the topic, Poetry making our Writing Shimmer
Poetry Reading Shared Poetry with a Local Poet for the Probus Club Wahroonga East 3rd September 2018
Fire on Water Highly Commended in the SWW Poetry Book Award 2018
A Poetry Reading Morning, Mount St. Benedicts Library, Pennant Hills 26th July 2018
Haiku in Echidna Tracks on line September 20th 2018
Halibun in FreeXpresSion September 2018
Haiku in FreeXpresSion August 2018
Poem caged in the Ginniniderra Poetry Anthology Wild ed. by Joan Fenney Ginninderra Press
Poem a beautiful world 2nd place in Poetry Competition Poetry Matters August 2018
Achievements June 2019 – August 2019
Pulblication of Hildegard of Bingen: A Poetic Journey by Ginninderra Press to be launched at The Writers Centre Rozelle Sunday 13th October 2.30 – 4.30 . All welcome.
Ongoing research and writing for new project Verse novel on an Australian woman.
Two poems all the birds and the nest, in Mozzie Vol 27 issue 5 June 2019
A suite of three poems After the Massacre, Searching History, Shared History. in Eureka Street 3rd June 2019.
Research for new writing on the history of The Gully Katoomba July 2019
Poem leitmotif in Poetry Matters Issue 36 July 2019
Haiku (1) in Windfall Australian Haiku Issue 7 2019
Workshop for U3A on the Indigenous Australian Poet Ali Cobby Eckermann
Guest Speaker for July Probus Wahroonga Group on Enjoying Australian Poetry
Haiku (2) in Echnida Tracks on line July 2019
Achievements February 2019 – May 2019
Poem Christchurch in Mozzie Vol 27, issue 3 April 2019
Tanka in Eucalypt No 26
Launched the poetry book, Bloom by Decima Wraxall at The NSW Writers Centre 10th May 2019
Final Edit of Hildegard of Bingen: A Poetic Journey and steps taken towards publication late 2019
Haiku (2) in Echnida Tracks on line March 2019
Workshop for U3A Poetry and life of Dylan Thomas Poetry Appreciation. April 2019
Review for White Pebbles of Ginko ( Seasonal Walk) held at Edogawa Japanese gardens and Art Gallery East Gosford
Bowerbird Tanka Group Pearl Beach, reading on a tanka 30th March 2019
Poem we are sorry in Our Hands in Eureka Street Journal18th March 2019
Research for new writing project February 29th -March 2nd 2019 AIATSIS Canberra
At Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Studies Canberra
And my Research Assistant and friend, Michael
