60 Classic Australian Poems

by Geoff Page

Featuring notable verses dating from the 19th century to contemporary times, this unique compilation offers a superb introduction to Australia’s poetry scene. With contributions by a prolific poet, this examination includes a short essay following each poem that justifies its “classic” status. Offering such distinct and renowned voices as Adam Lindsay Gordon, Banjo Paterson, and John Kinsella, this collection is sure to be a treasured collection among both poetry fans and English students.  

Genres: Poetry

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Geoff Page has published twenty-four collections of poetry as well as two novels, five verse novels and several other works. His awards include the Grace Leven Prize, the Christopher Brennan Award, the Queensland Premier’s Prize for Poetry, the 2001 Patrick White Award and the 2017 ACU Prize for Poetry. His most recent books are Elegy for Emily: A Verse Biography of Emily Remler (Puncher & Wattmann, 2019) and In medias res (Pitt Street Poetry, 2019).

Reviews

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good enough collection of poems but the analysis that accompanies each of gets a little 'samey' after a while. Some of the claims Page makes for the metrical effects strike me as a bit tendentious. This started off as a newspaper column and I can see it being much more effective in that weekly format rather than collected all together. I think I'd rather just have the poems on their own...