by Jilly Ball
What began as a small gathering of poets at the Europa Café in Cattley St Burnie, under Shakespearean and foundation members Joe Lake and Judy Brumby-Lake, is now 20 years strong.
The MC and party organiser Victor McIntosh invited members to the Open Mike for poetry readings. They were wide ranging from the bawdy, tragic, storytelling, to emotional, historical and traumatic. Member presentations came from their own histories and observations. They were woven into memories of raising children in hard times in 1960s in our local farming community to the Oscar Wilde excerpt of his fear ridden tragic poem Ballad of Reading Goal.
Trophies presented by Mayor Teeny Brumby and her deputy Giovanna Simpson to the foundation and longest-serving members Joe Lake, Judy Brumby-Lake, and Mary Kille.
The poets’ meeting venue was commemorated with an emblematic logogram in the shape of ‘&’ (an ampersand, originating as a ligature of the letters ‘et’, Latin for ‘and’). The Café congratulated us, and Patrica Parke accepted the gift signed by all members present.
Europa Poets meets monthly at the Europa Café