Charmaine Papertalk Green

Charmaine Papertalk Green is a poet, visual artist and social sciences researcher from the Yamaji Nation, Western Australia. She has been represented in many anthologies focusing on Aboriginal writers in Australia. Her books include Just Like That (Fremantle Arts Centre Press) and Tiptoeing Tracker Tod (Oxford University Press). Her new book is Nganajungu Yagu (Cordite Books, 2019). Charmaine lives in Geraldton, rural Western Australia.

'Walgajunmanha All Time', a new poem by Charmaine Papertalk Green

August 2019, no. 413 • 22 July 2019

We write about our existence pre-invasion / And that has made us visible We write about our existence during invasion / And that keeps us visible walgajunmanha walgajun ... (read more)

States of Poetry 2016 - Western Australia | ‘Yurna Australia’ by Charmaine Papertalk-Green

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

Can you smell it?Not like the first rainsNor the first bloomsBut a rather putridVomit inducing smellJaan-jaanyThe bad smell of Australia Like stinking body odourEmitted at footy matchesFast on social mediaWith each boo theSmell got strongerWith each name callingThe smell got strongerWith each denial theSmell got strongerYurna; YurnaLingering smell of racismAustralian style Charmaine Pape ... (read more)

States of Poetry 2016 - Western Australia | ‘Yamaji Culture’ by Charmaine Papertalk-Green

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

Yamaji CultureA culture worth lovingA culture worth fighting forA culture worthy of being loved Why tell me I don't need it?Why tell me I can't need it?Why tell me I can't love it?Why tell me it's not worth fighting for?Why tell me it's not worthy of love? Yamaji CultureI love it – I laugh for itI stress for it – I cry for itI fight for it – I believe it's worthyOf love and respect I cry ... (read more)