Spoken Word

Madeleine Dale is a poet and researcher from Brisbane/Meanjin. She holds first-class honours and a Masters degree in Creative Writing from the University of Queensland, where she is currently completing her PhD. Her work has been published in Westerly, Cordite, Meanjin, and Best of Australian Poetry, among others. Her first full-length collection, Portraits of Drowning, won the 2023 Thomas Shapcott Prize, the Five Islands Poetry Prize, and was commended for the Wesley Michel Wright Prize. She was a 2024 MacDowell Fellow.Portraits of Drowning is availabe for purchase here: https://www.uqp.com.au/books/portraits-of-drowning Production & Interview: Tina Giannoukos

Eddy Burger and Joel O'Connor talk about the new book, Millennium Poets Two. This is a new anthology which revisits the poets writing at the turn of the millennium and presents their contemporary work.

‘like acommercial mirage selling an over-lit dream’- from James Joyce’s Fart Fetish by Alex Creece. In this episode of 3CR's Spoken Word show which aired on Thursday 19th March 2026, you will hear poet Alex Creece talk about collage, reclamation and the profane. This episode has a warning for strong language and mature themes. Alex Creece is a writer, editor, collage artist and average kook living on Wadawurrung land. Alex is the Managing Editor of Cordite Poetry Review and an Online Editor at Archer Magazine, and her writing has been widely published. Alex is the author of Potty Mouth, Potty Mouth (Cordite Books, 2024), which was highly commended in the Five Islands Poetry Prize. Poems written and performed by Alex Creece in this episode:God Wants You To ComeOn SpecialJames Joyce’s Fart Fetish CreditsRecorded, produced and edited by Indrani Perera.Thank you to Alex Creece for sharing her poetry and to you for listening!

Rodney Williams is a tanka poet from Gippsland. Tanka is a five line form of Japanese poetry that predates the haiku. Rodney talks about what makes a tanka and looks at old and new poems, including some of his own. He is a contributing editor of the poetry journal Catchment, Poetry of Place, which is published within the website of the Baw Baw Arts Alliance. https://www.bawbawartsalliance.org.au/bcms/catchment-editions/

‘one blind spot is all forgetting takes’- from One Last Thing by Amanda Collins. In this episode of 3CR's Spoken Word show which aired on Thursday 19th February 2026, you will hear poet Amanda Collins talk about art, music, life and death.Amanda Collins is a poet, death doula, author and songwriter who currently lives in the hills of Taungurung Country. She is a fierce advocate for humanity and human creativity, and can often be found teaching poetry or music. Amanda is the 2026 poetry judge of the Mulga Bill writing prize, and is part of the creative impetus behind the Heartcote Ukulele Festival. Her favourite words continue to be Whimsy, Steadfast and Hopeful. Poems written and performed by Amanda Collins in this episode:The RulesOne Last ThingThe MeetingLiberty / Untitled CreditsRecorded, produced and edited by Indrani Perera.Thank you to Amanda Collins for sharing her poetry 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.

‘a round of silencewhere the voice of our oceansshore into one song’- from Please my dear neighbourby Benjamin Theolonius Sanders (IQ). In this episode of 3CR's Spoken Word show which aired on Thursday 18th Decmber 2025, you will hear poet Benjamin Theolonius Sanders (IQ) talk about sport, music, lineages and the voice as an instrument. Benjamin Theolonius Sanders (IQ) is a native Memphis griot, professional teaching artist, intergenerational educator, intercontinental slam champion, dj photographer and father. The former MC of the Memphis Music & Heritage Festival, an 8X Memphis Slam Champion & 2x Melbourne slam Champion, IQ is a haiku lover and typewriter devotee. In 2009 He was one of twelve guest artists at Womadelaide, where his poetry was translated into Indigenous language in collaboration with visual artists from the APY lands. IQ is the author of 11 chapbooks, 3 albums, 2 audio anthologies, and has been anthologised in various academic and commercial publications for the past 30+ years. Normally referred to as Memphis Poet Laureate, IQ loves music, coffee, scrabble, teaching about poetry of all kinds, tennis, Memphis and Geelong. Presently the Poet Laureate of the Centre for Southern Folklore, IQ is a hypen-aided American, as well as Poet Laureate of legendary Memphis Jam band Freeworld. When his feet are not walking in M’town, IQ lives on Wadawurrung /Wathaurong country. Find IQ at www.poetiq.com Poems written and performed by Benjamin Theolonius Sanders (IQ) in this episode:Small latte and jamMaturityConversation PeacePlease my dear neighbour (haiku train)For What It’s Worth CreditsRecorded, produced and edited by Indrani Perera.Thank you to Benjamin Theolonius Sanders for sharing his poetry and to you for listening!

This is part 2 of a conversation with Grant Caldwell about his new book of haiku, The Soundless Sound, and about haiku in general.

‘I found myself inside myself’- from Cluster B, to AuADHD by Sarah St James. In this episode of 3CR's Spoken Word show which aired on Thursday 20th November 2025, you will hear poet Sarah St James talk about performance, transitioning and representation.Content Warning: This episdoe contains references to mental health, drug use and suicide. Sarah St James- or ‘Sadie’- is a trans woman and spoken word poet. Originally born and raised in Meanjin, she has been based in Naarm since 2018. Her writing explores themes of identity, accountability and survival through the lenses of gender, sexuality and familial dysfunction. With a background in theatre, Sarah’s work lends itself best to live performance. She has been speaking her poems aloud since participating in ‘Ruckus’ poetry slams and ‘Roving Conspiracies’ open mic events in 2014. Sarah’s writing has been published in the anthology In-Flux, trans and gender diverse reflections and imaginings. As well as Chaotic Musings Volume 3. Her first solo publishing venture was the hand bound anthology “The Brown Paper Diaries” soon to be available in print.Poems written and performed by Sarah St James in this episode:Cluster B, to AuADHDSitting With It Kalliope X FundraiserSunday 30th November 2025 in Thornbury.Featuring MANISHA ANJALI, ELENA GOMEZ and TONY BIRCH.Plus music from the THE BLACK SEA ENSEMBLE.Tickets available at https://events.humanitix.com/kalliopex-speaks. CreditsRecorded, produced and edited by Indrani Perera.Thank you to Sarah St James for sharing her poetry and to you for listening!

Di Cousens OAM is a poet and photographer based in Melbourne. Past poetry publications include Days Pass Without Name, Free Text Space, House Red and The Freedom to Be. She is also the author of academic articles and a book in Tibetan studies. Her poetry has been published in journals and anthologies and her photographic portraits of poets are used in publications and websites. For 11 years she has been one of the producers of community radio 3CR's Spoken Word program. Di studied poetry writing with Judith Rodriguez and is a member of Melbourne PEN. She was Melbourne PEN's delegate to the PEN International Congress in Pune, India, in 2018, and was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2023 for service to the Buddhist community. Her chapbooks can be purchased here: https://www.dicousens.com/shop Producer & Presenter: Tina Giannoukos

‘where the lazy susan spins tirelesslycarrying the love you put on plates’- from Photograph by Lynette Natasha In this episode of 3CR's Spoken Word show which aired on Thursday 16 October 2025, you will hear poet Lynette Natasha talk about politics, performance and playwriting. During the podcast, Lynette Natasha talks about Cartograpgy of the Void by Chris Abani.Lynette Natasha is a poet and writer whose work explores relationships with family, others, ourselves and the world. Born in Malaysia to a bicultural family and currently living in Naarm/Melbourne, her poems are shaped by the act of living between worlds — how do we become who we are while holding on to traditions, how do we live with so much beauty and brutality, and how do we balance grief with the gloriousness of living. Poems written and performed by Lynette Natasha in this episode:FatherSilenceNew LeafPhotograph 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. CreditsRecorded, produced and edited by Indrani Perera.Thank you to Lynette Natasha for sharing her poetry and to you for listening!

George Vassilacopoulos was born in Greece and migrated to Australia in 1974. He taught philosophy at La Trobe University, and has published books and articles on (European) philosophy, Indigenous sovereignty, and (Greek Australian) history. Ashpoems (re.press, 2025) is his fifteenth poetry collection, the first in English. Ashpoems is available here: https://re-press.org/title/ashpoems/?srsltid=AfmBOoobU2Q4UL6HNTKlwSCdsG3issjeRIik2huau3lyynmTfVl_MfqE Producer & Presenter: Tina Giannoukos