J. S. Harry
Encyclopedia
J. S. Harry is a contemporary Australian poet
who has been described as “one of Australian poetry’s keenest satirists, political and social commentators, and perhaps its most ethical agent and antagonist.”
J. S. Harry was born in South Australia
, but soon moved to Sydney
where she has remained. She has worked as an editor for Radio National
and has held a residency at Australian National University
. A recurrent character in her work is Peter Henry Lepus, a rabbit who name-drops philosophers such as Bertrand Russel, Ludwig Wittgenstein
and A. J. Ayer while popping up in the midst of topical events such as the Gulf War
. His satirical “clear-eyed vision of the world, and the humans that inhabit it, is that of an Everyrabbit, with its endless simplicity, trepidation and curiosity.”
Among other accolades J. S. Harry has won the Harri Jones Memorial Prize for Poetry
, the Poetry Society’s Book of the Year, the PEN International Lyne Phillips Poetry Prize and the Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry
. Her most recent work is Not Finding Wittgenstein (2007) a ‘collected works’ of Peter Henry Lepus.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
who has been described as “one of Australian poetry’s keenest satirists, political and social commentators, and perhaps its most ethical agent and antagonist.”
J. S. Harry was born in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, but soon moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
where she has remained. She has worked as an editor for Radio National
Radio National
ABC Radio National is an Australia-wide non-commercial radio network run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Radio National broadcasts national programming in areas that include news and current affairs, the arts, social issues, science, drama and comedy...
and has held a residency at Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
. A recurrent character in her work is Peter Henry Lepus, a rabbit who name-drops philosophers such as Bertrand Russel, Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein was an Austrian philosopher who worked primarily in logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language. He was professor in philosophy at the University of Cambridge from 1939 until 1947...
and A. J. Ayer while popping up in the midst of topical events such as the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. His satirical “clear-eyed vision of the world, and the humans that inhabit it, is that of an Everyrabbit, with its endless simplicity, trepidation and curiosity.”
Among other accolades J. S. Harry has won the Harri Jones Memorial Prize for Poetry
Harri Jones Memorial Prize for Poetry
The Harri Jones Memorial Prize for Poetry is an annual prize awarded by the University of Newcastle, Australia, to “an Australian poet, not yet 36 years of age, whose work in the field of poetry is judged to be outstanding”. The Prize is name for T...
, the Poetry Society’s Book of the Year, the PEN International Lyne Phillips Poetry Prize and the Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry
Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry
The Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry is awarded annually as part of the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards for a book of collected poems or for a single poem of substantial length published in book form...
. Her most recent work is Not Finding Wittgenstein (2007) a ‘collected works’ of Peter Henry Lepus.
Works
Poetry- The Deer Under the Skin (1971)
- Hold for a Little While, and Turn Gently (1979)
- A Dandelion for Van Gogh (1985)
- The Life on the Water and the Life Beneath (Sydney: Angus & Robertson/Paperbark, 1995) ISBN 0-207-18453-4
- Selected Poems (Ringwood, Vic.: Penguin, 1995) ISBN 0-14-058755-1
- Sun Shadow, Moon Shadow (Sydney: Vagabond, 2000) ISBN 0-9578378-1-X
- Not Finding Wittgenstein (Giramondo, 2007) ISBN 978-1-920882-20-4
External links
- 18 poems with SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
& ItalianItalian languageItalian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
translations - J.S. Harry Poems & analysis at Poetry International Web
- Journeys Digital — & ‘Other’ Worlds, by J.S. Harry Includes mp3 author reading & animations
- Unfaithfully Yours: Lines from the Index at the Australian Book ReviewAustralian Book ReviewAustralian Book Review is Australia's leading literary review. Created in 1961 the ABR is an independent non-profit organisation that publishes articles, reviews, commentaries, essays, and new writing...