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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
'The much-anticipated new volume of poetry from the winner of the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Book of the Year
'Samuel Wagan Watson set the literary world alight in 1999 with his David Unaipon award-winning collection of poems Of Muse, Meandering and Midnight. His next volume, Smoke Encrypted Whispers, won Book of the Year at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards over Tim Winton.
'In this, his first new volume of poetry in nearly a decade, he once again excites, inspires and shocks. Woven into this collection is a dark, satirical take on contemporary Australia, with its acquisitiveness and materialism, Wagan Watson shows an intense political engagement. The poems are dynamic, vivid and powerful, containing the clear language of witness reminiscent of Indigenous song-writers such as Kev Carmody and Dr Yunupingu.
'Love Poems and Death Threats breaks new ground for Indigenous Australian writing and adds to Samuel Wagan Watson’s reputation as one of our most exciting poets.' (Publication summary)
Notes
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Dedication: This collection is dedicated to the people I love, and the ones who have almost done me in.
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The work contains three parts:
I. Blood and Ink
II. No Standing Anytime
III. No Naked Flames
Contents
- Headwatersi"I Am A River...", single work poetry (p. 3-4)
- Blood and Ink, sequence poetry (p. 3-5)
- Ebb Tidei"There is no recession in your departure. The river replenishes", single work poetry (p. 4)
- Backwatersi"As a pupil I must ask: How is it you charted the backwaters", single work poetry (p. 4-5)
- Postscripti"Postscript in a Bottle", single work poetry (p. 5)
- In The Light of Two Firesi"My eyes trawl depressions created by ink.", poetry (p. 6-7)
- Apocalyptic Quatrains : The Australian Wheat Board/Iraq Bribery Scandali"We learn, yet forget, in the cataclysm of our birth", single work poetry (p. 8-9)
- The Grounding Sentencei"It has been an eternity of dispersal, Knowledge, secret and", single work poetry (p. 10)
- Sentineli"The midden remains; a material witness on a promontory", single work poetry (p. 12-13)
- Hallowed Groundi"Saturday morning on Logan Road and my lady is pelting", single work poetry (p. 14-15)
- Bird-Song of Imminent Deathi"Death songs off the Logan Road night;", single work poetry (p. 16-17)
- Terrori"All the signs read, Smile...You're on camera", single work poetry (p. 18)
- Kissing Ghostsi"When dreaming", single work poetry (p. 19)
- Throw Salti"My elders are well acquainted with the unlucky,", single work poetry (p. 20)
- Scratchedi"When I was a kid the weekend started with cartoons...", single work poetry (p. 21)
- In My Mother's '80s Kitcheni"The golden light at 5am was that of a Renaissance painting", single work poetry (p. 22)
- Alfabet Ikan "My brothers once showed me the bounty that can be had in bait-nets=Saudara-saudaraku pernah menunjukkan padaku harta karun yang bisa ditemu di jala umpan" The Alphabet of Fishi"My brothers once showed me the bounty that can be had in bait-nets.", Kadek Krishna Adidharma (translator) single work poetry (p. 23)
- Golden Fishi"Sideshow alley explodes! Free-people are paying to be pulverised", single work poetry (p. 24)
- Boomerangs in a Thunderstormi"The clouds are so low that I imagine a puffy hand, reaching", single work poetry (p. 25)
- Trash and Treasurei"I was up early on Sunday morning, but I felf cleansed: cleaner", single work poetry (p. 26)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Other Formats
- Large print.
Works about this Work
-
“Warriors Come Out to Play”
2016
single work
review
— Appears in: Long Paddock , vol. 75 no. 3 2016;
— Review of Yimbama 2015 selected work poetry ; Sweetened in Coals 2014 selected work poetry ; Dirty Words 2015 selected work poetry ; Love Poems and Death Threats 2014 selected work poetry -
Activism and Terra Tactics
2015
single work
review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 18-19 July 2015; (p. 21)
— Review of The Sixth Creek 2013 selected work poetry ; Love Poems and Death Threats 2014 selected work poetry ; Terra Bravura 2014 selected work poetry -
Going Home After the Apocalypse : Robbie Coburn Reviews Love Poems and Death Threats by Samuel Wagan Watson
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: Writ Poetry Review , December no. 2 2014;
— Review of Love Poems and Death Threats 2014 selected work poetry -
Snapshots of Love and Identity Show Intensity
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 15-16 November 2014; (p. 35)
— Review of Love Poems and Death Threats 2014 selected work poetry 'Wagan Watson’s style is like a series of polaroid snaps – fast-paced, with multiple interconnections and restless perceptions.' -
Samuel Wagan Watson's Edgy Poems of Love and Death
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 15 November 2014; The Age , 15 November 2014; (p. Entertainment/Books) The Canberra Times , 15 November 2014;
— Review of Love Poems and Death Threats 2014 selected work poetry
-
Samuel Wagan Watson's Edgy Poems of Love and Death
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 15 November 2014; The Age , 15 November 2014; (p. Entertainment/Books) The Canberra Times , 15 November 2014;
— Review of Love Poems and Death Threats 2014 selected work poetry -
Snapshots of Love and Identity Show Intensity
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 15-16 November 2014; (p. 35)
— Review of Love Poems and Death Threats 2014 selected work poetry 'Wagan Watson’s style is like a series of polaroid snaps – fast-paced, with multiple interconnections and restless perceptions.' -
Going Home After the Apocalypse : Robbie Coburn Reviews Love Poems and Death Threats by Samuel Wagan Watson
2014
single work
review
— Appears in: Writ Poetry Review , December no. 2 2014;
— Review of Love Poems and Death Threats 2014 selected work poetry -
Activism and Terra Tactics
2015
single work
review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 18-19 July 2015; (p. 21)
— Review of The Sixth Creek 2013 selected work poetry ; Love Poems and Death Threats 2014 selected work poetry ; Terra Bravura 2014 selected work poetry -
“Warriors Come Out to Play”
2016
single work
review
— Appears in: Long Paddock , vol. 75 no. 3 2016;
— Review of Yimbama 2015 selected work poetry ; Sweetened in Coals 2014 selected work poetry ; Dirty Words 2015 selected work poetry ; Love Poems and Death Threats 2014 selected work poetry -
What I’m Reading
2014
single work
column
— Appears in: Meanjin Online 2014;