John Gallas Poetry

'the greatest New Zealand poet no one has ever heard of' (Spinoff)

poem for September 2019

Captain Cook lands briefly on a nice beach at Opaahi

Gentleman James jumped ashore.

He planted the Union Jack.

He brought some beads and a pruning saw

And a bottle of Armagnac.

Fuck off, fuck off, fuck off ! they cried

And threw a spear at his head.

The Ship went home on the following tide

And the Savages went to bed.

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First published in '17 Very Pacific Poems', available from Indigo Dreams Publishing

www.indigodreams.co.uk

What's Afoot ? Top Ten

1. The translation of Petrus Borel's 'Rhapsodies' is complete - 34 poems in all - and at Carcanet awaiting a decision for their 'Carcanet Classics' series. The first 6 poems are to be published in the forthcoming 'PN Review'.

2. A small find ! William Hoile/Hoyle, Fisherman Poet of Gorleston, Yarmouth : poems discovered and transcribed in Lowestoft Record Office ('The Fishermen's Alphabet', 'Weather Rhymes') - all details sent to John Goodridge for his mighty 'Labouring Poets' volume.

3. Won the 'Voices of Israel' Reuben Rose Poetry Competition with 'At the Funeral of a Ploughman'.

4. 'The Extasie - 50 love poems - with Carcanet, awaiting a decision.

5. 'Here They Come ! 200 Loaded Tankas Delivering Goodness Fresh to Your Doorstep' (collection of 200 tankas) also completed. Bunches appearing in STAND and LANDFALL.

6. 'The Blood Book', a history of my family from 10,000BC, published by Gerolstein Press (NZ) now available : email me at john.gallas@btinternet.com if you'd like a copy/

7.. To complete the Year of 3 Books, 'Mad John's Walk' still available from Five Leaves (www.fiveleaves.co.uk) and '17 Pacific Poems' from Indigo Dreams (www.indigodreams.co.uk)

8. Won the National Association of Writers Group competition with 'At That Leicester Cafe', and the Earlyworks Poetry Competition.

9.. Go to STAND magazine's website (www.standmagazine.org) for 4 love poems, and, forthcoming, more translations of Joachim de Bellay and some nutritious Tankas.

10. 'The Sloth', from 'The Alphabet of Ugly Animals', to be included in Vaughan Rapatahana's textbook for schoolkids in En Zed. (Complete with Exercises After !)

Complete Book List

Practical Anarchy (Carcanet)
Flying Carpets Over Filbert Street (Carcanet)
Grrrrr (Carcanet)
Resistance is Futile (Carcanet)
The Ballad of Robin Hood and the Deer (Agraphia Press), pictures by Clifford Harper
The Ballad of Santo Caserio (Agraphia Press), pictures by Clifford Harper
The Song Atlas (Carcanet)
Star City (Carcanet)
The Book with Twelve Tales (Carcanet)
Fucking Poets (3 vols) (Cold Hub Press NZ)
40 Lies (Carcanet) pictures by Sarah Kirby
Fresh Air & The Story of Molecule (Carcanet)
52 Euros (Carcanet)

Pacifictions (Cold Hub Press NZ)

The Alphabet of Ugly Animals (Magpie Press)

Mad John's Walk (Five Leaves : Occasional Pamphlets) January 2017

The Little Sublime Comedy (Carcanet) now out

17 Very Pacific Poems (Indigo Dreams) now out

The Extasie ... forthcoming ?

Petrus Borel 'Rhapsodies', translated from the French by John & Kurt Gallas ... forthcoming ?

Contacts

John Gallas Poetry www.johngallaspoetry.co.uk

Carcanet www.carcanet.co.uk

Carcanet blog www.carcanetblog.blogspot.co.uk

John Gallas Facebook

Cold Hub Press (NZ) www.coldhubpress.co.nz

Five Leaves publishing/bookshop (Mad John's Walk) www.fiveleaves.co.uk

Agraphia / Clifford Harper www.agraphia.co.uk

YouTube (Paterau Sonnent / The Blobfish Sings Under the Sea)

STAND Magazine www.standmagazine.org

Indigo Dreams publishing www.indigodreams.co.uk

Spinoff (NZ) www.thespinoff.co.nz

The John Clare Society (facebook and 'contact us')

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