“We are all poets to our lives in a general sense, but we each have a form that feels comfortable and right.”


Writing feels comfortable to me, when I write I am totally absorbed. Time disappears or stands still. I feel happy messing around with words. We use words every day. The English language is constantly evolving and yet sometimes words are inadequate and meaning is found in the silence around the words.


Today there is a special field called poetry therapy based on the recognition that words carefully chosen words, can be healing, cathartic. Words create images that can clarify emotions, memories and events. We can connect the past, the present with the future; it helps you to understand what you are going through. Poetic language, more so than medical or psychological language requires expression of feeling that is deep and genuine. It can make the human experience and suffering livable, no cure or explanation is necessary. The process is part of the healing., with insights and self discovery.


"Good art makes its way to the soul and does its job of healing”



















Monday, August 2, 2010

WINNER of THE NIMBIN PERFORMANCE POETRY WORLD CUP 2010!

Shock Controversy ! Cup split between two finalists!! Will they cut The cup in Half!

No! Absolutely NOT! Elizabeth Routledge takes the Cup home to Bellingen, telling her co-winner Tug Dumbly that he's already won before so she has first dibs!

No in all seriousness, I am thrilled and privileged that the judges put me up there with Tug who is a brilliant , polished and experienced performance poet / satirist. I was blown away by the skills and energy of the other finalists and many of those who didn't make the finals( Randall Stevens, Brian Hawkins...),it was a fantastic weekend, intense, funny, entertaining and full of colourful characters in the iconic town of Nimbin, NSW , Australia. It was doubly exciting when Craig Nelson bought the People's choice trophy home to Bello as well!

I want to thank Susie and Bob of Upper Tunatable who put up the Bello crew and of course Iain , Marty, Ruth, Sally and Rosie for being there and sharing a great weekend. We all thought Marty was joking when she insisted we would bring home the cup! Thanks also to Gail and all the other organisers of the Nimbin Cup ... it is a special event... one that we can go on and develop with a sister Cup in Bello ???

A round of applause for Fiona who got up and delivered her Confessions of A single Mother behind the confessional box but in good voice ... many in the audience related to her words. Brian Hawkins was as usual a unique, precious and confidant voice over the weekend and Craig has started a trend ...that could be around for a long, long time with his Ode to the letter P ... it got the audience going!

There were so many outstanding performers , some old stalwarts on the scene Robin Archbold was by turns hilarious and heart wrenching, David Hallett and Zelly were in great form ( as was Ruthie - spellbinding...over the time limit but.... time is not a kouri construct!)and Candy Royale a previous winner was also excellent. But in my opinion it was the young poets who were fascinating : Doubting Thomas ...so powerful, Darkwing (wig is good too!) Dub,Steven Smart and Randall Stevens (funny and smart all of them!); in the girls camp Sophia Darcy-Cole was outstanding and Betsy Turcot and Jarrah Schmah who were in the finals were all intellingent, clever, funny poets.


I could rave on! It really was a fantastic weekend and I am on a high ... it's taken me nearly half a century to win a Cup ! I was crap at sports ... now I am the winner of a WORLD CUP !!!!!

Thanks again for welcoming us into the Nimbin community spirit...spirited community ... I am excited about judging next year already ...

Peace, Love and mung beans... Elizabeth Routledge xx
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