Spoken Word

Barry Dickins (6 November 1949 – 13 July 2026) was an Australian author, artist, actor, educator and journalist, probably best known for his historical dramas and his reminiscences about growing up and living in working class Melbourne.In this interview with Di Cousens, recorded in 2016, he talks about the rewrite of his play Remember Ronald Ryan for a production at La Mama, and reads from the script. Ronald Ryan was the last man hanged in Australia.Vale Barry Dickins.

Robert Di Napoli talks to Di Cousens about his new translation of the Old English riddles found in the tenth century Book of Exeter. Published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing.This is the second part of a two part conversation.See: https://robertdinapoli.com/the-dark-glass-a-book-by-robert-dinapoli/

Robert Di Napoli talks to Di Cousens about his new translation of the Old English riddles found in the tenth century Book of Exeter. Published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing.This is the first part of a two part conversation.See: https://robertdinapoli.com/the-dark-glass-a-book-by-robert-dinapoli/

Born in Melbourne, Petr has been writing for over 20 years. She has had work published in the anthologies Mother Lode (Poetica Christi Press, 2003) and Set Free (Poetica Christi Press, 2004), and in the journal Etchings (vol. 4, 2008). Petr’s work also appears in the coffee table book, Reflecting on Melbourne – a vision of Melbourne through the eyes of some of its poets and artists (Poetica Christi Press, 2009), in the anthology Southern Sun, Aegean Light (Arcadia 2011) and in issue 10 of the journal Page Seventeen (Busybird Publishing 2012). In 2012 Petr qualified for the finals of the Sydney Rd Poetry Cup and made the transition from the page to the stage officially that year. She has appeared regularly at the Dan and featured at House of Bricks, Passionate Tongues, Muses, Musos and the Barleycorn and at Steps Gallery. Her work appeared in the anthology A Lightness of Being in 2013 (Poetica Christi Press) and as part of MSFW ARTZ in 2014.  After some dirty dancing with breast cancer and a two-year hiatus from writing, Petr finally articulated the experience in an intense feature at West Word. Her choabook, Unspeakable (2019), is her first solo offering from that period  Her work focuses on themes of identity and belonging, motherhood and gender. Petr writes to process.   Unspeakable is available here: http://owlpublishing.com.au/chapbook-series.html Produced and Presented by Tina Giannoukos

In this episode of 3CR's Spoken Word show which aired on Thursday 16th July 2026, you will a recording of a live broadcast featuring Es Foong talking about the Sonic Poetry Festival. You’ll also hear Es and host, Indrani Perera, swapping poems in a poetic conversation or a poetry exchange of words and ideas.Sonic Poetry Collective, a coalition of poets concerned with building community sustainably, will host Sonic Poetry Festival on 24 October 2026. This all-day festival wil lbe hosted at Balam Balam Place and festival attendees can anticipate poetry wortshops, third place interactions, play, communal curiousity, and opportunities to serve as artist, audience, and both at once. EVENT DETAILSSonic Poetry FestivalSaturday 24th August 2026Ballam Ballam Place, Brunswick, Victoriawww.sonicpoetryfestival.com Poems read in this episode:Dear Letter P by Miriam HechtmanAt the Council Meeting by Kevin BrophyThe Change Room by Andy JacksonBless Grace Jones by Warsan ShireKaleidoscope by Ali Cobby EckermannAt the Lip of the Well by Lakshmi R KanchiTo Be Kissed by Quinn EadesListen by Jazz Money A Map of Mothers by Nadia NiazThe Other Side of History by Jeanine LeaneI wonder about that time in history by Linh Tran CreditsProduced by Brendan Bonsack.Thank you to Es Foong for joining us and to you for listening!  NoteSpoken word and poetry come from the heart and touch on all the topics peculiar to the human condition. As such there may be content in this show that could cause distress. Please practice self-care when listening and seek help if you need it.

Eddy Burger talks about his recent publications and shows with Michael Reynolds.

Bosnian-Australian poet talks to Di Cousens about her new book, After War.

A. Frances Johnson is an award-winning writer, artist and recovering academic. Her most recent poetry collection is Controlled Burn (Puncher and Wattmann, 2025). She has published four collections of poetry, a novel and a monograph, Australian Fiction as Archival Salvage (Brill, 2015). In 2020, she won the International ABR Peter Porter Poetry Prize. Other awards include the Griffith University–Josephine Ulrick Prize (2016) and the Michel Wesley Wright Prize (2012). In 2018, her collection Rendition for Harp and Kalashnikov was shortlisted for the Melbourne Prize for Literature Best New Writing Award. She is Honorary Principal Fellow in Creative Writing at the University of Melbourne. Controlled Burn is available here: https://puncherandwattmann.com/authors/a-frances-johnson Produced and Presented by Tina Giannoukos

Michael Reynolds talks to poet and gig organiser, Jason Voss.

Bosnian-Australian poet, Dzenana Vucic, talks about her new collection of poetry, After War. Interviewed by Di Cousens.