‘As a poet, he’s a good mathematician,’ said the poets. ‘As a mathematician, he’s a good poet,’ said the math dudes. Perhaps they were both right, or maybe both wrong. As a student at La Trobe University, I met with indifference at best, levity at worst, from many people with whom I tried to share my maths or poetry creations. The exceptions were the people that counted, such as poet Judith Rodriguez or the maths Professor Brian Davey. These people always had new ideas and fresh approaches.

So what do I read? Two years ago I moved from Melbourne back to Canberra, and have suddenly this rich exposure to high quality Canberra poets. So, fast devoured, have been the latest and greatest from S. K. Kelen (Island Earth: New and Selected Poems and Don Juan Variations), Geoff Page (Selected Poems and Improving the News), Alan Gould (Capital), Subhash Jaireth (Yashodhara: Six Seasons Without You and his novel, After Love) and Anthony Lawrence. Then there are poems by Melinda Smith (Drag Down to Unlock or Place an Emergency Call) and P. S. Cottier, whose poems are published on her website.