The Alliance Française de Melbourne’s 121st Berthe Mouchette Competition Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday 25th November at the St Kilda Town Hall.

Named in honour of the Alliance Française de Melbourne’s founder, Berthe Mouchette, the competition began in 1894 with 35 candidates enrolled. Today there are more than 15,000 participants from over 150 schools across Victoria. Created with the aim to “propagate the practical study of French”, the competition is now an essential way to promote French culture by encouraging young people committed to learning French to express the best of their creativity. Continue reading

Tony’s arrogance cost him dear
and cost our country too I fear
but now a new bloke’s set to steer
the proud ship of Australia.

Let’s hope that Malcolm gets it right
if not we’ll all bemoan his plight
and wail and whinge into the night –
another polly failure.

Tall poppies fall fast in this land
we don’t always united stand
and yet we still claim we are grand.
God help us – who will save ya?

We’ve turned the boats back in the past,
incarcerated those who asked
for refuge or, shock and aghast …
a same sex marriage favour.

So this time can we get it right?
Can Malcolm turn us overnight
back to a nation that has might?
A once more proud Australia.

Maureen Clifford © The #ScribblyBark Poet

The Ipswich Poetry Feast is an initiative of Ipswich City Council, supported by the local community and The Australia Times Poetry magazine.

Since its humble beginnings in 2003 as a national poetry writing competition, the Ipswich Poetry Feast has grown and evolved to become an important part of Ipswich’s cultural identity. The Ipswich Poetry Feast now features an annual international poetry writing competition and other significant literary events aimed at developing, advancing and showcasing poetry and poetry writing skills across all ages.

The competition is open to all poets and the childrens’ poetry section is strongly supported.

More information: www.ipswichpoetryfeast.com.au