WE ARE BACK. Happy new year poets and poetry lovers. I always love starting the Poetica year as we start with LOVE for the month of February. Yes, it’s a nod to Valentines Day – and we are more than okay about that. Let’s love and make the most of love and bring all our love poems to the party. We are thrilled to have Tug Dumbly, recent winner of the 2023 Bruce Dawe Poetry prize as our feature poet, and the return of Maia Jelavic and Jordan Wilson who are now formally known as The Darling Hearts. (yes!) You might remember Maia featured last year and Jordan accompanied Maia and when they sang in harmony something utterly magical happened in the room. So it’s going to be good folks. Plus the grand old open mic on the theme of LOVE. Plus if the weather is fine we can hang out on the verandah at sunset with drinks and cheese and figs. Sound good? You bet.

Bookings essential and spots are limited: https://www.woollahragallery.com.au/Whats-On/Events/Poetica-Petit-2024#

TUG DUMBLY

Tug Dumbly is the pen and stage name of Geoff Forrester, a Nowra-born poet and performer who has lived in Sydney for decades. He has worked extensively in radio, venues and schools, and founded a couple of seminal poetry nights in Sydney. He has performed his work as resident-poet on ABC radio (Triple J, ABC 702), and released two spoken-word CDs through the ABC – Junk Culture Lullabies and Idiom Savant. His awards include the Banjo Paterson Prize for Comic Verse (twice), and Nimbin Performance Poetry World Cup (thrice). His poems have appeared in many publications and he has been shortlisted numerous times for major awards. In 2020 he won the Borranga Poetry Prize, in 2022 he won the Woorilla Poetry Prize, and most recently he won the 2023 Bruce Dawe Poetry prize. His first poetry collection, Son Songs, came out in 2018 through Flying Island Books. He is also a singer, songwriter and musician who likes photography and nature, especially cicadas.

THE DARLING HEARTS

In the heart of the musical landscape, where soulful harmonies intertwine with poetic storytelling, you’ll find The Darling Hearts – a mesmerizing alt-country duo comprised of the talents of Maia Jelavic and Jordan Wilson. Their sound has been likened to the timeless warmth of Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and Crosby Stills and Nash; captivating a fusion of nostalgia and innovation that has effortlessly won over the hearts of local music lovers since their debut show in September 2023. As The Darling Hearts, Maia and Jordan come together seamlessly; their harmonious voices intertwining in a melodic dance that mirrors the most profound human emotions. Their music is a testament to the power of collaboration, effortlessly bridging the gap between Maia and Jordan’s rich history of musical endeavours.