Read the 'Bush Slam' poems courtesy ABC

The ABC has put all the Bush Slam poems online so you can read them at your leisure.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/bushslam/about.htm


The Bush Slam poets rollcall:

* Ballou, Emily, Author.
* Bix, Ezra, Author.
* Blundell, James, Author.
* Croggon, Alison, Author.
* Fagan, Kate, Author.
* Goodfellow, Geoff, Author.
* Kinsella, John, Author.
* Ma, Joel, Author.
* Schneider, Melinda, Author.
* Wagan-Watson, Sam, Author.
* Harding, Ester, Author.
* Thorburn, Chris, Author.



These poems were written under unusual pressures and distractions, so I wonder how the poets feel about them being on public display. It must have been part of their contract.

Here's the original blurb on the concept from ABC Publicity:

Bush Slam: three days, two poets, one town… Finding the heartbeat of the nation in verse.

Bush Slam puts poets and poetry in motion across Australia to discover the true spirit of the country.

Our host H.G. Nelson (Greig Pickhaver) is at the wheel of the Bush Slam bus, each week taking two very different poets to explore a rural community and meet its people. Each is given just three days to capture the heart of the town in verse – and then the tricky bit, to perform their work before the locals in a live head-to-head poetry slam for a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down!

Bush Slam features Australia’s leading poets and songwriters, including John Kinsella, Geoff Goodfellow, Sam Wagan Watson, Emily Ballou, Joel Ma, Melinda Schneider, Alison Croggon and James Blundell.

Together, their writing covers a vast spectrum of styles, from bush poetry, to country, to hip hop. (End quote)