J P Quinton

J.P. Quinton lives in Fremantle, Western Australia. He is an adventurer and writer. In 2011 he became inspired by the story of Bon Scott while cycling around the U.K. The novel Bad Boy Boogie: the Adventures of Bon Scott is the result of four years research and interviews with friends of Scott.

Quinton has also written multiple books of poetry. New Poets is available through Fremantle Press.

He is now researching his next novel about bushwalking. Over the next few years he will be walking the Australian Alps Walking Track, The Shikuko Island Temple walk, The Heysen trail, the Te Araroa trail in New Zealand and the Pacific Crest Trail. When he returns to Western Australia he aims to walk the Bibbulmun track in 13 days.

States of Poetry 2016 - Western Australia | ‘There is No One to Complain’ by J.P. Quinton

States of Poetry Western Australia - Series One • 22 February 2016

I walk to the river,I am searching,I am searching for a jar of leeches.In the distance I see something flashingso I head toward it. As I come closer I seeit's a mirror dangling from a tree,and beneath it, a table with six sealed jars. I open a jar, stick my finger insidepull it out –blood slides down my arm. I feel the sharp clutch of a hand on my shoulder,I turn and see a woman'sface covered ... (read more)

States of Poetry 2016 - Western Australia | ‘the red hut’ by J.P. Quinton

States of Poetry Western Australia - Series One • 22 February 2016

grasses sweep grooves in sand, the way streams forge sweeps in earth;their soft brown tips dangle, like me, the narcissist,searching for recognition, the call and responsethe topographic certainty, the black and white pinions.cloud gaps are light patch are sunglasses on.loose rock and lost watch – the alpine flowers dry,the travelling snow is sliced by skis or sun or boot treadwith spring their ... (read more)

States of Poetry 2016 - Western Australia | 'Site Visit: Ashfield Flats’ by J.P. Quinton

States of Poetry Western Australia - Series One • 22 February 2016

Part of the river begins here, car carcassesFilter run-off, houses fenced offA two foot foam toy stealth bomberDiscarded in the buffalo – 'the F27CStriker Brushless' neglected, ignored. Broken winged, landlocked like concrete islands.Part of the river begins here,Sweet mud smell, the hill you slide downOn tin, the old man keen to shoot to shooYou, his house as far as his scope. To kill the gra ... (read more)

States of Poetry 2016 - Western Australia | ‘Reading the Landscape’ by J.P. Quinton

States of Poetry Western Australia - Series One • 22 February 2016

To read a landscape by another landscape;Valley cloud reveals altitude. To read the landscape visits the egoThat prevents a proper reading. To this landscape, the circular fireplaceAnd a straight trunk – xanthorrhoeas present. To read this landscape to the tune of other words,As moisture moves us, is us, drowns us. To read the landscape like a bookMeans to think like a border Like the roos ... (read more)

States of Poetry 2016 - Western Australia | ‘Dog Barks Heard from the Kitchen’ by J.P. Quinton

States of Poetry Western Australia - Series One • 22 February 2016

The river has alwayssat in front of me,mud between toesshooting down grassyhills on cardboard. Mybrother dragged a sheepbehind a canoeto the other side,and painted a warningon his rose canvaswhen my sister drowned.She was throwing rockswhen swallowed. Dog barks heard from the kitchen. Mum ran screaming upthe hill, a limpid wet bodyin her arms, almostlike the canariesthe dogs killedlying at the b ... (read more)