Peter Bakowski

Peter Bakowski is an Australian poet of great experience, whose work is flexible, accessible, and inventive. He had a poem, ‘Release’, in takahē 107. He’s embarking on a poetry tour of Aotearoa New Zealand in May and June. Erik Kennedy, our Poetry Editor, asked him some questions ahead of his arrival from Naarm Melbourne.

It will be great to have you in Aotearoa. Did anything in particular prompt this visit?
Curiosity. To changing my imaging of New Zealand to the reality of 2024 New Zealand, to test my poetry on new audiences. I also have an Auckland friend, who was kind and generous to me when I was having a lonely time in 1980s London, so it will be lovely to visit him and his partner.

Your itinerary is chocka. You’re not doing things by halves. You also seem to go all out as a writer—you’re quite prolific. Do you consider going hard to be part of your artistic practice?
I try to live by certain quotes—’A writer should be writing’ and ‘You learn writing by writing’. Born with a hole in the heart in 1954, from an early age I had a sense of mortality. I try to do things NOW although I’ve been known to procrastinate over doing my tax return. The reality in Australia is that poets sell most of their books by doing live poetry readings. I believe in the troubadour tradition of getting out there and presenting my poetry in Australia, Italy, France, China and now, New Zealand. To quote Robbie Burns—’Fear No Labour’.

A few of your events are what you call ninety-minute ‘poetry pep talks’. Where did this genre of poetry event come from?
In a ninety-minute poetry pep talk I impart as much practical and philosophical information as possible, insights and tips about facing the blank page, more often, with more ideas and confidence, all gleaned from my forty-two years’ experience of writing poems. I present the ninety-minute poetry pep talk to fire up attendees, to get them to brush away cobwebs, not be lazy or fearful. I present myself as an example of someone who taught themselves how to write poetry and to convey what I’ve learned along the way. ‘Pep’ is the key word in these poetry talks. I want attendees to think widely and dig deeper. The poetry pep talk is something I’ve evolved and I continue to get good feedback regarding the presentation.

Your two most recent books are co-written with the esteemed Ken Bolton. Collaborative writing is still a rare thing in poetry. What do you like about working in this way? And what are some of the potential pitfalls?
Initially I wrote a poem, titled ‘Some lines are straight, some bend a little’, in which I’m waving out a car window to Ken Bolton and Ron Padgett. I emailed Ken the poem and suggested he might like to respond via a poem to my poem, which he did and then I responded to his response and this call-and-response method, all done via email, has led to four published books of poems attributed to both of us—Elsewhere Variations, Nearly Lunch, Waldo’s Game, and On Luck Street. The pitfalls are the dangers of repeating ourselves or writing too many poems about the one topic—say jazz or vintage Hollywood movies . . . but Ken was the goalkeeper in that regard and called a halt at times. The reality is that we wrote a LOT of poems, many of which neither of us would have written without the challenge and fun of responding to each other’s poems and fictitious characters.

I understand that you’ve gone on quite an impressive reading binge of New Zealand fiction. Are there New Zealand poets whose work you like to drink down deeply?
Two key New Zealand poets for me are Jenny Bornholdt and James Brown. I’ve written poems dedicated to each of them, though I’m yet to meet either of them in the flesh. Upon arriving in New Zealand, I will go on a Vincent O’Sullivan binge. The reality is that it’s often my avid reading of fiction and nonfiction which gives me poem after poem.

If you had to come up with one brilliant, aphoristic observation about the contemporary poetry scene in Australia, what would it be?
There are poetry stables in Australia which hopefully aren’t stable.

Do you promise to write poems about any fascinating or unusual characters you meet while you’re here?
I’ll be a poetry detective in New Zealand. Helen [Peter’s partner, Helen Bourke] and I want to meet as many individuals as possible who are keenly individual. As a poet, as a person, I’m trying to be alert to the world, to lure the reader’s attention, the listener’s attention, to the overlooked. It’s a big YES to writing poems about real and fictitious New Zealanders as representatives of humankind.

TOUR ITINERARY

North Island

11 May: Titirangi Poets Sessions — guest feature

15 May: Auckland Poetry Live! — guest feature

16 May: Whangarei Poets at ONEONESIX — guest feature

18 May: Kerikeri Library Community Room — Poetry Pep Talk

21 May: Auckland International Writers Workshop — Poetry Pep Talk

3 June: Napier Live Poets — guest feature

6 June: Wellington Poetry in Motion — guest feature

South Island

12 June: Dunedin Youth Writers’ Association — Poetry Pep Talk

12 June: Dunedin Octagon Collective — guest feature

15 June: Christchurch Hagley Writers’ Institute — Poetry Pep Talk

18 June: Richmond Library — Poetry Pep Talk