Comments on: Vale Dorothy Porter

By: Joyce Parkes

Joyce Parkes — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:22:20 +0000

Dorothy's irreverence and wit will be missed. Only Radio National mentioned her death in one of its programs and only once – on the Book Show. ABC TV One ignored the loss to Australian poetry altogether. Yet, when there is a riot somewhere in the world or an Australian traveller is missing, every RN bulletin AND ABC TV One carry the tragedy extensively and repeatedly, often for days and weeks. How so?

By: Jane Williams

Jane Williams — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:38:14 +0000

“… the poetry community despite its reputation for petty squabbles and bitter feuds, is actually marvellously good at honoring its dead. Poets know how to do a wake. I've always felt that a poet's words, participating in an ancient, magical and incantatory tradition, keep that poet alive forever…”

(from Dorothy Porter's preface to The Best Australian Poems 2006)

Let it be so.

By: Jen Jewel Brown

Jen Jewel Brown — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:52:32 +0000

Grrr, angry, sad. Love your poem Brad, thanks for that.

By: Brad

Brad — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 11:46:18 +0000

Dorothy Porter's Death

It was as if

You died early

to fit your story

to malignant breast cancer.

It wasn' t what anyone wanted.

But the fit was to your passionate life,

exultant despite our failures.

As if you were holding a black umbrella

written with the word “Kalima” in bright yellow

between a pink triangle and a triangle star,

bricks falling like disasters, smashing the ribs

of words to beautiful and desperate puddles.

So much gleaming blood,

when the sun of your smile came out.

Delicately you picked

through our innards,

our shit, to find

those shiny diamonds,

we had swallowed in fear.

You were rage, writ large,

our comfy, fierce mother

of the poisoned nipples.

My sincere condolences to those who were close to her.

By: kl

kl — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:40:56 +0000

take a bow and smile

you twinkle like a star

take a bow and shine

a star is what you are

from 'Gallop' by Rufus Butler Seder

RIP DP

By: samb

samb — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:40:01 +0000

Yes, it's a big loss for Australian poetry, she'll be missed greatly.

By: Ross CLARK

Ross CLARK — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:35:43 +0000

I'll miss her lively readings and presentations;

I'll miss her affectionate engagement with this place whenever she visited my side of the river;

I'll miss her approach to being a poet, — expressing her opinions without talking down to anyone, being interested in pop culture without being precious about it, and refusing ever to be factional (since poetry is already a blood sport in so many cities);

I'll miss her sexy insouciance in a man's suit;

I'll miss her.

Dot – kisses for your temples, coins for the ferry, and a small prayer.

By: Ali Alizadeh

Ali Alizadeh — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:25:45 +0000

I met Dorothy Porter for the first time during a break at what must have been a rather crowded poetry reading at Chapel off Chapel, Prahran, not long after I had moved to Melbourne about ten years ago. I had by then read and been blown away by her Akhenaten and The Monkey's Mask. I think, if I remember it correctly, upon finding myself next to her at the bar, I found the courage to mumble something or other about my wanting to become a 'narrative poet' like her, or something to that effect, and I think her reaction was a cross between distraction and bemusement.

A few years later, having finally published my own 'narrative poem', I presented her with a copy at one of her book signings at Readings, Carlton. I would've liked to tell her that without her inspiration I wouldn't have attempted to write my own 'verse novel', but, alas, the deluge of her fans shoved me aside and she resumed signing copies of her latest book, Wild Surmise.

The last time I saw her was after a reading as part of a regional arts festival in 2004 or 2005. I had myself been featured in the reading earlier in the evening, and was outside enjoying a drink or two after Dorothy's performance (which had, of course, been the evening's highlight and Äòheadlining act'). I noticed her exiting the venue – an art gallery – through her army of fans. “Lovely work, Ali” she said as she walked past us onto the street towards her car. I finished my drink as she drove away.

Thanks Dorothy. Thanks for being a great writer, and an inspiration.

By: Stu Hatton

Stu Hatton — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:59:11 +0000

Thankyou for reposting this.

Dorothy was a inspiration and a trailblazer. My thoughts are with all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.

By: Benjamin Dodds

Benjamin Dodds — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 05:26:10 +0000

I came to Dorothy Porter's work only about a year ago. I thought I knew exactly what to expect, but when I finished reading El Dorado, I knew that I'd been wrong. Such a shame that we don't get anymore of her beautiful writing. Thankfully, she was quite prolific, so we can go back and discover her amazing words again and again.