Nimbin Performance Poetry World Cup 2019

It was a sunny Saturday on the 7th of September and I was locked and loaded for the Nimbin Performance Poetry World Cup. The poem was a doozy, an eight-minute, free verse behemoth. It was called ‘Maitland’.

First, a bit about the poem. Then, onwards to Nimbin.

‘Maitland’ is an extended version of an earlier poem, also by the same name. This descriptive, heartfelt poem tells a story about my memories of Nan and her man Davey, their property at Maitland, and the times we spent there after our family broke down and Mum left. I think Dad, my sister and I were all pretty shattered by it. Nan and Dave’s was a healing place for us, a place of animals and trees and Nan’s big bosom and our little Shetland pony. But there was always an undercurrent between my father and Davey, beef from the past around Nan. Davey’s anger and jealousy was something my Dad had to live with for a long time growing up. As kids, we didn’t know everything, but we knew some things. So this poem is about family, and grief, and loss, and landscape, and the past.

So, after a solid six weeks of writing, practicing, getting sick of, practicing again, getting sick of again and practicing my poem again, the day arrived. The 7th. My heat of 10 poets out of 40 was on in the afternoon and we took a leisurely drive through this green God’s country into Nimbin.

Yes, we did get asked if we wanted any cookies as soon as we jumped out of the car. We politely declined, as alas we had more important things to attend to. Like having a crack at the two grand first prize. Oh yeah, we were hungry poets that day.

After a delicious feed at a little Italian joint, it was time to check out an earlier heat. Just sitting down watching, my heart began to race, sweaty palms, guts rising up into my throat. The usual, but intensified. I was worried I would forget some part of my poem. I was worried that I would trip over the microphone cord. I was worried that maybe I couldn’t do this, after all. An interlude, some cups of tea, and a bit of cake later, it was my turn to put it all on the line. Here’s how it played out…

I was so proud of myself for getting up there and giving it a red-hot crack. The competition was amazing, the poems were incredible, and I took my hat off to everyone who had a go on that brutal first-heats day. I almost got through to the semis! With a 50 bucks hard cash encouragement award in my hot little hand and a relieved/overwhelmed/stoked smile plastered on my face, once more we headed out of Nimbin.

We pulled over to take these ‘artistic’ shots in front of a beautiful paddock. I was just soaking it up, my head still spinning a little. The response I got from the audience after I finished my poem was so encouraging and uplifting. So many people told me they loved it, that I had told them a story, I had painted a picture, I had stirred the heartstrings. It meant the world to me.