Bundanon

Book in for a session, stay for the day or stay overnight. Become fully immersed in a program of talks and workshops with inspiring writers and storytellers.

Bundanon’s 2022 Writers Festival, Dreaming with Eyes Open, offers visitors of all ages opportunities to engage with award-winning authors and illustrators. Participate in a range of activities, from fun skill-sharing to intensive workshops exploring the literary arts in all forms.

Curated in partnership with South Coast Writers Centre, this mini festival responds to the ideas of inner and outer landscapes that run throughout Bundanon’s current exhibition season Parallel Landscapes.

Picnic in the landscape and respond to the paintings of artist Uncle Ben Brown. 

Ekphrastic poetry: a visual description of a scene or work of art

Inspired by the art of ekphrastic poetry and collaborative community arts practices, the Poetry Picnic encourages visitors to host a picnic in the landscape and respond to the paintings of artist Uncle Ben Brown.

The picnic could be on the grounds at Bundanon, or even be your own backyard.

Reuben Ernest Brown (Uncle Ben Brown)

Reuben Ernest Brown (Uncle Ben Brown) was a Yuin Elder who painted the Shoalhaven from the late 1980s to 2000s. Uncle Ben’s bright paintings show a love of the local landscape. His works highlight connections between family, community and Country.

1. ‘In this place’

Write a poem that closely considers where you are at the time of writing, using the starting line: In this place…

Consider whose Country are you on and what you can sense, hear, and see around you.

For a more structured approach, try this Seven Lines in Seven Minutes prompt from the Bundanon Learning Team:

• Line 1 Listening – write a line about a sound you can hear
• Line 2 Sensory – write a line about what you can smell where you are?
• Line 3 Caring – write a line about something you care about in this environment
• Line 4 Distance- write a line about something in the distance, far from you
• Line 5 Closeness- write a line about something close to you, nearby.
• Line 6 Impression – write a line about a colour or a texture you can see (if you are outside pick a colour other than green)
• Line 7 Feeling – write a line about how you feel in this place.

Artwork: Reuben Ernest Brown, once upon a time, c2001

2. Disco Dancing

If you are gathered with others, why not write a group poem. Each person writes one or two lines to contribute to the poem. The fun is working out together which line comes where!

Artwork: Reuben Ernest Brown, Disco Dancing, 2005

3. The River and the Sea

Construct a poem in the style of Rueben Ernest Brown’s painting composition.

Consider how his work reflects the landscape in three distinct blocks:

1. Sky
2. Horizon
3. Land

Write a poem of three lines or three stanzas that consider a subject in this way.

Artwork: Reuben Ernest Brown, untitled, 2005

4. Sea Platter

Write a poem from the perspective of the bottom of the ocean.

Are you human?

What is the light like?

The temperature?

What can you see?

What creatures are there with you?

How do you feel?

What does it taste like?

Artwork: Reuben Ernest Brown, Sea Platter, 1998

Poetry Submission

Poetry submissions are due by 5pm Sunday 11 September for inclusion on the Bundanon website.

Poems should be no longer than 30 lines  (1 page) and submitted as a word document.

Please submit in a standard, readable font and size. Avoid colorful stationery, visual embellishments, or cursive fonts.

Poems are to be emailed to programs@bundanon.com.au 

Note: We will not knowingly publish work that is slanderous, racist, sexist, ageist, or otherwise intentionally discriminatory or offensive. 

Poetry Prompts – Bundanon Poetry Picnic 4 September 2022 (2)