Every Map #poetrychallenge #thedirtythirty

Dirty Thirty* Poetry Challenge Prompt Day 6:

Grab a map (or Google one…) and randomly select a place you have never been to. Write a poem about what it would be like visiting that place for the first time.

*The Dirty Thirty Challenge is a closed facebook group of poets, the fabulous facilitators are providing a prompt a day which I am mostly following along with.

 

Every Map:

 

A line I will never cross. Made real in the choices I do not make. I close my fingernails across the torn edges of the dreams I am too small to dream. Edge the distance across a laminated table top that says nothing when I ask. Leave the porch light on. I will find you there. I will find you. In every opened border. Every spilled somewhere, someday, somewhy. I will find you there. In black dots and red lines and a blue trail to lead the light. I will find you there. In the distances between then and now and here and who we might one day become. I will find you there. I will crack open the desk drawers. I will rewrite every page until the sand turns into sweat and the dust in your eyes turns into love. I will unscrew every nail. I will hammer every bolt. I will test every corner with the inside of my knee. I will build nests on the top shelves and hide crocheted blankets in the fold between the rest. I will draw new lines over the old and make a different kind of maybe. And in the end, I will find you there. I will find you there. I will find you there.

I will find you. In every map.

Three Eyes #writeme30 #travel

 

The Contributor:

This week’s #writeme30 photo supplied by Tully Bates of Purple Carrot Catering (delicious food in the Riverland!)

 The Photo:

The Response:

One breath of colour in an ocean of maybe;

Two inhaled doubts to cover the silence;

Three eyes to see the world with.

 

An empty passport to taunt your fingers

A full wallet to promise your dreams

We’ve remembered, you and I.

DFAT Debunked (or not) at #ATF2013

Beverly Mercer from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) gave a quick overview of the Department’s Public Diplomacy program and most specifically how showing off Australian cultural content is part of the deal.

The essence of the session was really:

Are you doing something overseas? Or planning to? Talk to DFAT an talk to them early to hook in with other things that might be happening and leverage support of our Embassies and Public Diplomacy programs.

That was really the whole session. Oh and go explore the website for information about funding through DFAT or any of the councils, institutes and foundations that service particular exchanges as well as stalk priority areas. Take a look here.

Apps for the DFAT funding usually close in February with max grants up to $40,000. The sense I came away with from the session is that they are looking for tour ready products with ‘wow’ factor rather than grass roots exchanges, which is fine but just something to be aware of it you’re thinking of applying.

There is also a festival/showcase type program with a different focus country every year. Last year was OzFest in India. This year is Vietnam (with Bangarra as the key organisation opening the festival) and next year is Indonesia – hence Ria Papermoon as our cultural visitor at ATF.

Also for your future planning:

2015 – Turkey

2016 – Brazil

Take away messages from the session:

• If touring overseas get in touch with DFAT early so you can leverage the possibilities.
• They can put you in touch with their embassies and public diplomacy officers. People on the ground. Insider information. Local organisations to work with.
• Help with publicity though their own networks. Website, Facebook page and twitter to promote to. Contacts working in the same area, venues, local orgs etc.
• Pacific is a priority country. They get very few applications for there. Pacific islands ie. Solomon. Vanuatu.
• Note to self. Tell people what you’re doing because they do want to know what’s going on and they might be able to facilitate it.
• We talk about culture in terms of public diplomacy. Showcase excellence in Australian arts and culture.

 

While I was in the DFAT session. Jane Howard was sitting in with David Pledger here.

 

Don’t forget to follow #ATF2013 on twitter for live tweeting and opportunities to ask questions. It’s a full day tomorrow so there should be plenty of food for thought and all that.