Hands Like Mirrors

A few months ago, Stacey and I put a call out to writers and poets asking for submissions to a lil poetry journal that we were calling 'Hands Like Mirrors'. We put the word out to writers all around Australia and New Zealand through the Australia Poetry website and the Big Idea. Much to our surprise we received nearly 100 individual submissions! It was very flattering indeed. We applied for funding from RMIT Link Arts & Culture and received money to print it, which we did using a website called Blurb. From all those submissions we selected 11 pieces from each country.

Here are some excerpts from the things we chose.

Fiona Clark's "Your Love Poem is a Noun"

I'm sorry that the metaphor cannot contain the colour of the first whale to swim ashore. I have thrust my hand underneath its beard and wound the clock to make it tick...When we cannot speak I make the words from shoe polish and old candles. I furnish a whole room with you.

Susan Adams' "Neck Delight"
I want to.. rest on your calm
like a beach in the sun
spread over you
like slow mercury

Lana Rosenbaum's "She was here"
Soldiers take her away, her body leaking the dregs of her love on a military green stretcher. Winter starts to arrive and the warmth of her fades

Paul Williamson "Bloom"
things grow in darkness
that will not otherwise live

Frances Carter "I only date religious figures"
went to bed with jesus last night,
watched him undress
and cry all over my pillow.

Katie Winny "Mother Hunger"
I was promised so many harbours,
places to throw my ache away

These are pictures from the launch we recently had at Alphabet City in Auckland. Erin and Moira who run the space there have just opened a zine library, so if you live in that area go ahead and check it out.



Stacey is uploading videos of people reading at the launch onto her vimeo, keep an eye on that here.

We are both very proud of this anthology and thank the writers so very much for being a part of it. Sam Wieck, our designer, also deserves a ridiculous amount of praise. It would not look as amazing as it does without his tireless efforts and countless emails.

If you would like to buy a copy to hold in your own two hands, we are selling it for $8 AUD (plus a lil extra for postage). Click on the image below to pay via paypal.

OMG WE DID IT!!!!