PoeticA

Clive James in Mildura

The Mildura Writers’ Festival, held over a weekend in late July, consolidated its reputation as one of Australia’s most pleasurable literary festivals. When, we wonder, will tout Melbourne and Sydney realise how good it is, and make the journey. Clive James opened the festival with a memorable lecture on questions of celebrity and the poetry of Philip Hodgins. We have much pleasure in publishing his 2003 La Trobe University/Australian Book Review Annual Lecture in this issue.