For some years now, Toby Davidson has been organising an annual reading from the works of Australian poet Francis Webb.
This year it’s on again:
Saturday 31 August
2.00–4.00pm
Chatswood Library
409 Victoria Ave
Chatswood
It’s a free event, but you can go to eventbrite to reserve a place.
Here’s what the Willoughby Council website has to say::
Come along to hear how this ‘poet’s poet’ astonished his own generation and many more since.
You’re invited to join MC Dr Toby Davidson, editor of Webb’s Collected Poems, for an afternoon celebrating the works of North Sydney poet Francis Webb (1925-1973) who spent some of his early years in Willoughby.This annual gathering sees poets, scholars, community members and representatives from Webb’s former schools St Pius X College and CBHS Lewisham read and discuss their favourite poems by this local prodigy who combined his visionary talent with an eye for social justice. Gwen Harwood once wrote ‘I think Webb is unmatched … wonderful Webb!’
Come along to hear how this ‘poet’s poet’ astonished his own generation and many more since
I am one of the poets, scholars and community members. I’d love to see some of my regular – or even one-off – readers there!
Me fail? I fly! 
The reading was fun. About 20 people gathered in the ‘Creators’ room of Chatswood Library. Toby Davidson chaired the event with his usual erudition infectious enthusiasm (he’s working on a book about Webb’s ‘medical’ poems). A number of his colleagues from Macquarie University read, including Tony Thompson, who delighted us by exposing how the poem ‘The Telescopes’ captures so much of his home town Toronto. There was a poet, a prize winning children’s author, a student from Pius X School, which Webb attended, and me. I’m sorry you couldn’t make it, dear reader.
LikeLike