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Red Dirt Poetry Festival director Laurie May leads a conversation on poetry's lyrical and cultural power, with three of today's most exciting poets. Marie Elena Ellis weaves stories of Country and memory in I Am The Desert; Andy Jackson'sAskew widens his award-winning exploration of disability to climate and division; Luke Patterson'sA Savage Turn mixes theory and folklore to upend Australia's colonial origin stories.KEY INFO
Date: Saturday, 31 October 2026
Time: 2:00-3:00pm
Venue: The Ballroom, The Carrington Hotel
Tickets & More Info: https://www.bluemountainswritersfestival.com.au/events/poetic-possibility
Marie Elena Ellis is an Arrernte/Warlpiri woman from the Amoonguna remote community, located east of Mparntwe (Alice Springs). Renowned as a cultural adviser, multi-linguist, educator, scriptwriter, and poet, Marie has made significant contributions to the arts and education sectors. Her first poetry collection, I Am The Desert, was published by Red Dirt Poetry this year.
Andy Jackson is a poet, essayist and critic. His poetry collection, Human Looking, won the ALS Gold Medal and the Prime Minister's Literary Award for Poetry, and his newest collection, Askew.
Luke Patterson is a Gamilaroi poet, educator and musician whose poetry has appeared in Cordite Poetry Review, Plumwood Mountain, Rabbit, Running Dog and The Suburban Review. His debut poetry collection, A Savage Turn, is out now with Magabala Books.
Laurie May is an Mparntwe/Alice-Springs based poet, spoken word performer and poetry educator. Laurie is the creator and Executive Director of Red Dirt Poetry, a regional poetry organisation with the flagship event, Red Dirt Poetry Festival.
This event is part of the 2026 Blue Mountains Writers Festival, head to bluemountainswritersfestival.com.au for more information.
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Event venue
The Carrington Hotel, 15 Katoomba St, Katoomba NSW 2780, Australia, Katoomba
Tickets
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