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Issue Details: First known date: 2003... 2003 It Is Nearly Dark When I Come to the Indian Ocean : The Collected Poems of Joyce Lee
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Contents

* Contents derived from the Melbourne, Victoria,:Stephen J. Williams , 2003 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
Forword, Chris Wallace-Crabbe , single work poetry

'What can poetry do for us these days? It’s not in the business of swaying the masses; indeed, as Peter Porter has ever so gracefully put it, “Poetry is one of the few arts which is not menaced by not having an audience.” Yet it somehow retains an almost popular role in bearing witness to human decency. Yes, poetry produces some of the durable vessels which are brimming with hope. Such concepts as humanity and humanism have been cast aside in recent times like tattered banners, outmoded ensigns. Given that climate, it is a joy to encounter some book that is everywhere imbued with a humane spirit, a book that combines alert intelligence with decency and warmth. As the writer in question, the Melbourne poet Joyce Lee says about her artistic heritage, “Old now, I treasure what was given to me, perhaps in riddles”. But as we read them we find that her poems always strive to make such riddles come clear. In this she may be seen as a traditionalist, which is no bad thing.' (Introduction)

(p. 12-16)
Light from the Dark Side, Joyce Lee , single work essay (p. 17-20)
Step Ladder to Heaveni"She is eight", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 22)
My Father's Countryi"I can close my eyes one heartbeat", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 22-23)
Firebell for Peacei"The war to end them all", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 25)
Veterani"Cataracts blanketed her eyes", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 26)
Wimmera Child’s First Waterfalli"Eleven years, the child opened to stubble plains.", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 26-27)
How We Killed and Buried Himi"My mother and I", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 27)
Anatomy of a Martyri"Hagar the runaway sat too long", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 28)
Voices from Geriatric Places, Joyce Lee , sequence poetry (p. 28-29)
Little Flower Songi"Ninety-three", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 28-29)
Song Without Wordsi"Her body dies first", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 29)
Double Womani"We ride donkeys toward the peak. Before the summit", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 31)
According to the Starsi"It's high tension living", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 31-32)
My Owni"Yeti freezes,", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 32-33)
Mad Dream in Melbourne’s Lunch Houri"Kate calls herself Pandora. I give her", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 33-34)
Signed by the Artisti"In this painter’s work", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 34)
No Companion for Adami"‘When we were kids", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 35)
Collector’s Itemi"Crossing Siberia by train", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 36)
Nightmare for Middle-Agei"The crazy train", Joyce Lee , single work poetry (p. 36-37)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • Melbourne, Victoria,: Stephen J. Williams , 2003 .
      Extent: 216p.
      Note/s:
      • First published in a print run of 500 copies all of which were sold. A further print run of 200 copies also sold out.
      • A PDF version of this book (824 KB) is available for download via the publisher's website, http://www.stephenjwilliams.com/.

      • Partial contents indexed. Remainder pending.
      ISBN: 0975060406

Works about this Work

Poetry Survey Oliver Dennis , 2004 single work review
— Appears in: Island , Autumn no. 96 2004; (p. 62-67)

— Review of Beautiful, Unfinished : Parable/Song/Canto/Poem M. T. C. Cronin , 2003 selected work poetry ; Ships on Fire Robert Drummond , 2002 selected work poetry ; Drumming on Water : A Verse Novel Geoff Page , 2003 single work novel ; The Weight of Irises Nicolette Stasko , 2003 selected work poetry ; Rooms and Sequences Mike Ladd , 2003 selected work poetry ; High in the Pawpaw Tree Andrew Hardy , 2003 selected work poetry ; Extraction of Arrows Kathryn Lomer , 2003 selected work poetry ; It Is Nearly Dark When I Come to the Indian Ocean : The Collected Poems of Joyce Lee Joyce Lee , 2003 selected work poetry ; A First Reader John Watson , 2003 selected work poetry
Forword Chris Wallace-Crabbe , 2003 single work poetry
— Appears in: It Is Nearly Dark When I Come to the Indian Ocean : The Collected Poems of Joyce Lee 2003; (p. 12-16)

'What can poetry do for us these days? It’s not in the business of swaying the masses; indeed, as Peter Porter has ever so gracefully put it, “Poetry is one of the few arts which is not menaced by not having an audience.” Yet it somehow retains an almost popular role in bearing witness to human decency. Yes, poetry produces some of the durable vessels which are brimming with hope. Such concepts as humanity and humanism have been cast aside in recent times like tattered banners, outmoded ensigns. Given that climate, it is a joy to encounter some book that is everywhere imbued with a humane spirit, a book that combines alert intelligence with decency and warmth. As the writer in question, the Melbourne poet Joyce Lee says about her artistic heritage, “Old now, I treasure what was given to me, perhaps in riddles”. But as we read them we find that her poems always strive to make such riddles come clear. In this she may be seen as a traditionalist, which is no bad thing.' (Introduction)

Poetry Survey Oliver Dennis , 2004 single work review
— Appears in: Island , Autumn no. 96 2004; (p. 62-67)

— Review of Beautiful, Unfinished : Parable/Song/Canto/Poem M. T. C. Cronin , 2003 selected work poetry ; Ships on Fire Robert Drummond , 2002 selected work poetry ; Drumming on Water : A Verse Novel Geoff Page , 2003 single work novel ; The Weight of Irises Nicolette Stasko , 2003 selected work poetry ; Rooms and Sequences Mike Ladd , 2003 selected work poetry ; High in the Pawpaw Tree Andrew Hardy , 2003 selected work poetry ; Extraction of Arrows Kathryn Lomer , 2003 selected work poetry ; It Is Nearly Dark When I Come to the Indian Ocean : The Collected Poems of Joyce Lee Joyce Lee , 2003 selected work poetry ; A First Reader John Watson , 2003 selected work poetry
Forword Chris Wallace-Crabbe , 2003 single work poetry
— Appears in: It Is Nearly Dark When I Come to the Indian Ocean : The Collected Poems of Joyce Lee 2003; (p. 12-16)

'What can poetry do for us these days? It’s not in the business of swaying the masses; indeed, as Peter Porter has ever so gracefully put it, “Poetry is one of the few arts which is not menaced by not having an audience.” Yet it somehow retains an almost popular role in bearing witness to human decency. Yes, poetry produces some of the durable vessels which are brimming with hope. Such concepts as humanity and humanism have been cast aside in recent times like tattered banners, outmoded ensigns. Given that climate, it is a joy to encounter some book that is everywhere imbued with a humane spirit, a book that combines alert intelligence with decency and warmth. As the writer in question, the Melbourne poet Joyce Lee says about her artistic heritage, “Old now, I treasure what was given to me, perhaps in riddles”. But as we read them we find that her poems always strive to make such riddles come clear. In this she may be seen as a traditionalist, which is no bad thing.' (Introduction)

Last amended 20 Aug 2020 15:53:52
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