This year marks the 18th annual Queensland Poetry Festival and aims to bring language to life. It has grown into the largest festival of its kind in Australia.
The vibrant event runs from August 29 - 31 at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts in Fortitude Valley. It is set to be a three-day spectacular of spoken word, music, and performance with poets and artists from all over Australia and across the seas.
Unbeknown to most, the Queensland Poetry Festival grew out of the old Brisbane Fringe Festival (which originally started from a little space held by the river at South Bank). Now 'The Judy' is its permanent home, it has led the way for Australian poetry, establishing and displaying some of Australia's best up-and-coming and established poets.
“The program this year is about pushing creative boundaries,” says Festival Director Sarah Gory. “Alongside performances from some of the most innovative poets practising today, we will be curating and showcasing some extra-special collaborations that pair poetry with film, dance, and visual art.”
This year's festivities will kick off with Needlepoints of Light, featuring the quiet strength of the 2014 Arts Queensland Poet in Residence Warsan Shire, the lyrical intensity of Singaporean poet Cyril Wong, and the masterful word-weaving of local poet Sarah Holland-Batt. Bringing the beats are the eclectic melodies of The Bell Divers and McKisko.
Luka Lesson is also one of this year's festival highlights. Luka is a self-described spoken word artist, musician and lyricist from Australia. He is a lyrical veteran with two years of international touring, eleven Writers’ Festivals, seven years of workshop experience and almost ten years of writing under his belt. 2011 saw Luka become Australia's slam poetry champion and it's easy to see why when you witness his lyrical prowess live.
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We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to pick his brain:
What's your elevator pitch to get people to this year's 'Qld Poetry Festival'?
I would tell them a poem, to get them excited and try to brush off the traditional ideas of poetry being boring. I would probably perform my poem 'May Your Pen Grace The Page'.
Who are your influencers? Who inspires you currently in slam-poetry/ music?
One of my favourite rappers at the moment would have to be a woman that I met in South Africa named Jean Grae, favourite poets at the moment Khalil Gibran and Scott Wings from Australia who I would have to say is at the top of his game.
What's the biggest lesson you've learnt about life through being a poet?
Words make worlds, what we think and say and hear and I guess that has come from listening to so many poems throughout my life.
Your performances are often very powerful and moving, What is the fuel behind the fire?
I guess it comes from the passion behind stories, people needing to be heard, I feel more comfortable on stage and want to use the emotion of society which is often saying "don't express yourself".
Best advice you've received and from whom?
It would be from my dad, "There is nothing more common in the world than wasted talent".
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
I would love to get into acting and possibly not be in Australia, probably be in Europe. In 10 years I would hope that there would be an army of poets coming out of the workshops. I have spent a lot of time in the classrooms with thousands of poets. I hope there will be more poets than politicians.
What is your spirit animal?
An Owl, mainly because of the goddess Athena who represents wisdom. There is an owl on the cover of my book The Future Ancients.
Who would play you in a movie and what would the title be?
Al Pacino… and it would be called "Pass The Olives".
If you were stranded on an island and could only bring three things, what would you bring?
A big fat knife, a lighter and my girlfriend.
