Published 5 September 2009 · Main Posts words out west Overland Overloaded Melbourne poet Lynne Dale is the convener of the monthly Westwords poetry reading, which takes place in the Dancing Dog Cafe` in Footscray and coordinator of Williamstown Writers. Her work has been anthologised, including in The Other Side, Fences and Half Open Doors. Tomorrow (Sunday September 6), Lynne will bring artists and poets of the West together for a special Overload Westword event. Lynne Dale is the mother of three adult children and a fourteen year old grandchild, and her interview was the inspiration behind the Overland Overloaded team’s ‘poeranting’ (poetic parenting) series of posts, still to come during Overload if our children would just leave us alone and let us write. In putting together coverage for the Overland/Overload blog, I’ve noticed how few female poetry MC’s (of regular gigs) there are in Melbourne . Can you shed any light on why this is? You know – women & families go together not much time for recreation let alone regular commitments. Are you being diplomatic? Hell yes. Mostly it’s a chauvanistic field – men get acknowledgement whereas women talk anyway so why is poetry different. As for organising it’s what we’re built for…why skite about it. What makes Westwords different from the other poetry gigs around? It’s the only one really in the West Anything else? We still want to hear bush poetry or traditional poetry along with free verse. And what else? We have a valuable prize for open mic and we are environmentally friendly using tiles instead of paper for the raffle. Was that all just spin? Naturally, I have a degree in spin. You sure? Maybe. Most of the regular poetry gigs in Melbourne seem to be at inner-city venues. How long has Westwords been going in Footscray, and why is it still going? It’s being going about eight years not always as Westword though, Peter Davies ran it before it became Westword. Plus it’s a brilliant venue. What’s the most scandalous thing that’s happened at a Westwords gig? My lips are sealed. Come on, you can do better than that. Trust me, my lips are sealed. So are mine. I’ve never kissed and told why should this be different. How do you pick your features for Westwords? I have a pin and… Can you be bribed? No. No, seriously: can you be bribed? No, but all donations are gratefully accepted Plug the Westwords Overload gig Art and poetry, what could be better Plug it some more not the light ekphrastic but still good in a muted way. Break it Down: art takes many forms and festivals come and go none like overload and nothing like art that’s mixed at Westword, Dancing Dog Cafe Overland Overloaded More by Overland Overloaded › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays First published in Overland Issue 228 10 November 202311 November 2023 · Subscriberthon 2023 On the final day of Subscriberthon, Overland’s most important members get to have their say Editorial Team BORIS A quick guide to another year of Overland, from your trusty feline, Boris. I liked the ginger cat story, though it made my human cry. I liked the talking cat, too, but I’m definitely in the “not wasting my time learning to talk” camp. But reading is good. And writing is fun, though it’s been challenging […] 1 First published in Overland Issue 228 9 November 20239 November 2023 · Subscriberthon 2023 On the second-last day of Subscriberthon, Overland’s co-chief editor Evelyn Araluen speaks truth to power Editorial Team To my friends and comrades, I’m not sure if there’s language to communicate how this last month has utterly changed me. This time a few weeks ago the busyness and chaos of bricolage arts and academic labour had so efficiently distracted me from my anxiety about the upcoming referendum that I forgot to prepare myself for its inevitable conclusion.
