Merlinda Bobis’s most recent poetry book is the trilingual collection (Bikol, Filipino, English) Pag-uli, Pag-uwi, Homecoming (2004). Her previous book of poetry, Summer Was a Fast Train Without Terminals (1998), was shortlisted for The Age Poetry Book of the Year Award. Her short stories White Turtle (1999) received the Steele Rudd Award for the Best Published Collection of Australian Short Stories and the Philippine National Book Award. She went on to create poetic dramatic works, which were performed in Australia, Philippines, France, Spain, the United States, Canada, and Singapore. Among them was River, River, her one-woman play adaptation of her novel written in poetic prose, Fish-Hair Woman (2012), which also received a Philippine National Book Award. Her fourth poetic prose novel, Locust Girl. A Lovesong (2015), won the 2016 Christina Stead Prize for Fiction. Merlinda Bobis recently completed a poetry manuscript, ‘Accidents of Composition’, her sixth book of poems.

State Editor Jen Webb's notes

Merlinda Bobis has been part of the ACT literary community, and resident here off and on, since the early 2000s. Merlinda writes in Bikol and Filipino as well as English, and weaves phrasing and imagery from her first home, the Philippines, through her contemporary verse. She has a substantial practice as a performer, something evident in her poetry reading presented on this site.

Poems

‘After the Grand Canyon’

‘The colour of eyes’

‘Lucy afloat’

‘An argument in glass’

‘After Reming’

Recording

Merlinda Bobis reads 'Lucy afloat' and 'After Reming'

Further reading and links

Merlinda Bobis’s website

‘Locust Girl by Merlinda Bobis wins Christina Stead prize for fiction’, The Sydney morning Herald, 17 May 2016