Sarah Rice

Sarah Rice won the inaugural 2014 Ron Pretty Award, the 2014 Bruce Dawe Poetry Prize, co-won the 2011 Gwen Harwood Poetry Prize, and was shortlisted in the 2013 Montreal Poetry Prize and the 2013 Tom Howard Poetry Prize. Her poetry has appeared in Those Who Travel (Ampersand Duck, 2010), Global Poetry Anthology, Award Winning Australian Writing, Best Australian Poetry, Island, Southerly, and Australian Poetry Journal.

'The Saying and the Said' by Sarah Rice | States of Poetry ACT - Series One

States of Poetry ACT - Series One • 22 February 2016

Timing and manner my mum would always sayand it's true, the how and when override the whatof what's said, and the same is true of poetry. I don't think people remember their tone when speaking –other people's yes, but not their own. Tone, like texture, is crucialfor the feel of things – is it honey or cactus, metal or water? And if the words float toward you like ducks on a pondlooking for c ... (read more)

States of Poetry 2016 - ACT | 'Song of gratitude' by Sarah Rice

States of Poetry ACT - Series One • 22 February 2016

For the soft-handled horse-mane hairof the half moon brushThe gleam of pewter, copper, glass. For the carpet palimpsest of patterned livesthat lie layered in the deep pile – embeddedwine, coffee, blood, bread, skin, and ash. For the possibility of preserving presenceand particularity in a photograph. For the quiet reliability of maps that levelmountains, baptise stream and riverand christen s ... (read more)

'Self-reliance' by Sarah Rice | States of Poetry ACT - Series One

States of Poetry ACT - Series One • 22 February 2016

No one is going to come and save you.And because of this you must foldyour clothes at day's end despite the urge to abandon themto the backs of chairs. You must shakethe crumple of sleep from the sheet. You must clean your teeth. Wash the teaspoons.Fold your pyjamas too and lay the neat squaresto rest under your pillow of a morning despite the fact that in a few hours allwill be done again in r ... (read more)

'Dad' by Sarah Rice | States of Poetry ACT - Series One

States of Poetry ACT - Series One • 22 February 2016

We would sit on the wings of his kneesand see-saw our way through stories magical suitcases Romanian folktales &n ... (read more)

'Climbing' by Sarah Rice | States of Poetry ACT - Series One

States of Poetry ACT - Series One • 22 February 2016

Life, like climbing, is bestaccomplished if you don't lookdown. Pressed up against the rock, rock-face to face, one is safest.Hands like to be busy, little nest-builders, hunting for hand- holds in the crevices and creases,they work best in the dark,by feel; creatures of tactility. Feet too, like to work unhinderedby the head; plodders, doers, dourfollowers of simple commands, the dogs o ... (read more)