‘A Hill to Die On’ – launched to a great beat

Full community audience at the launch of A Hill to Die On

Nathan Curnow, Rose Lucas, Kevin Brophy and Ross Gillett

The Wolf, the Goat and the Cabbage….. Nathan sets up a challenge for Geoffrey Williams.

And Geoffrey responds ….

….. with a great beat interpretation of Nathan’s spoken word

Nathan Curnow, Francesca de Tores and Anne Gleeson

Nathan Curnow and Kevin Brophy

Performing three of his poems from the book, Nathan presented Geoffrey with a high-risk challenge in front of our live audience. After hearing each piece once, for the first time, Geoffrey immediately replied, riffing on the poem, freestyling it into a groove via a loop machine and his finely-tuned instinct for soul, funk and blues.

A fantastic way to enjoy poetry as part of Ballarat’s Be Hear Now festival and launch a great book.

‘Neck deep in the business of living’

Nick Lanyon spoke to a packed audience from three (overlapping) Ballarat, Curnow and poetry communities to launch Nathan Curnow’s new book. Nathan read, and then he and Geoffrey Williams delighted us with their unique two-man show of poetry and improvised groove – a showcase call-and-response performance.

A Hill to Die On explores the ancient, everyday experience of promise, followed by the return back into despair. It’s the personal account of a poet living in the profound joy and frailty of language. Drawing on narrative, myth and fable, Nathan Curnow’s first collection in eight years connects the ongoing saga of hope to the events of his own life, one that’s ever creative, lyrical and full of broken lines.

Buy the book - softcover or digital

Read Nick Lanyon's launch speech