King’s Bridge Cottage Writer in
Residence Report
Merlene Fawdry - Writer/poet
17 – 30 March 2008
Little did I know
all those years ago when I walked across Kings Bridge, on my way home from
school, wondering at the mystery of the small cottage that appeared to defy
gravity as it clung in casual acrobatics from the cliff face that one day I
would be living there for two weeks. There was never an occasion, during the
countless times I began the walk to the first basin, when I failed to stop
and voyeuristically ponder the cottage, its structure and purpose. It has
the same effect on me today, over half a century distant from my first
memory of it, an enigmatic presence that has stood the test of time. I
wondered about the stories the house could tell if it had a voice, tales of
challenges and changes and triumphs and tragedies, which had taken place
under its watchful eye. I saw my work there, albeit it in a small way, as
giving a voice to the cottage, a daunting task as I began my discourse with
the walls.
I was ever aware
of the brief two week term of my residency and the need to make the most of
every minute of my stay. With Easter falling between the two weeks, an open
day for writers planned and two workshops to run, effective time management
was essential and I had prepared a finely tuned calendar to work from. I had
allocated, within this, observation and reflection periods, spreading these
over different times of each day and night and in different locations of the
Gorge, so not all of my time was spent luxuriating on the balcony waving a
languid hand to passing tour boats or looking down on the pedestrian traffic
on the Gorge path – although these were both pleasant diversions
Beginning
everyday with a brisk walk to the First Basin provided many opportunities
for compiling a photographic record of images for later reflection and the
pain of the zig zag path was more than compensated for by the changing
aspects each step provided. Place and history are powerfully interconnected
in the Gorge, with stories encoded in both the natural and built
environments, and these treks helped brought the immediacy of the
place into my writing, which I have attempted to extract
and illustrate in poetic form.
The open day for
writers brought some of Launceston’s finest writers and poets together for a
sharing of their poetic interpretation of the Cataract Gorge and peer review
of work I had completed to draft stage. This was particularly useful part of
the writing process for me and much appreciated. Some of the poetry written
for the open day will be included in the completed work. These are some of
the comments recorded on the day:
‘Atmospheric;
the brooding rocks behind, looking down onto the water, a different life.’
~ Jacqueline
Lonsdale Cuerton
‘Such a
magnificent setting & your poems are so evocative.’
~ Colleen Hall
‘What a
magnificent setting for a writer to be inspired. Superb poetry.’
~ Joan Webb
‘Love the
view & beaut furniture. A writer would appreciate the lovely setting to work
in.’
~ Loretta
McCarthy
‘Developing
well. Great start – look forward to the final production.’
~ Rose
Frankcombe
A valuable
resource during my stay was the excellent book, Launceston’s Cataract
Gorge – Health, Wealth & Tribulations by Paul A C Richards and Murray
Johnson, which saved me hours of research by having all the information I
required in the one volume. That Murray Johnson had previously been
Historian in Residence at the cottage and Cara Howell, the illustrator, had
been Artist in Residence added significance to my use of this publication.
Anecdotal content was also drawn from On The Tide 3 edited by Peter
Richardson.
I appreciated the opportunity to
stay at the cottage, which gave me insight into the ever-changing vista of
the river and its environs and to experience this through daily walks up and
around the First Basin and watching the world go by from the balcony while
translating this into my poetry. I am indebted to the Launceston School for
Seniors writing group for their warm welcome and to members of the Society
of Women Writers Tasmania Inc, sponsors of my workshop Urban writing
– write about the place, for their support during my stage. I thank the
Launceston City Council for this wonderful opportunity, and Gina Lehman for
her administration of the program, and I hope the end product gives evidence
of the value of the Gorge Cottage Artist in Residence program to me. This
book of poetry, titled Discourse with Walls, will be launched
at the Launceston Book Fair on 23 August as part of the Living Writers Week
2008.
In appreciation
Merlene Fawdry
April 2008
Lost
Souls
the river
feathers the rock face
on the dark side
with sweet-water kisses
while beneath its depths
of ink-black ripples
etched with silver
the voices of lost souls
cry out from watery crypts
doomed to swim forever
outside
the current of life
they have become
sirens of the Cataract
©
Merlene Fawdry
March 2008
WORKSHOP FEEDBACK: URBAN WRITING - WRITE ABOUT THE PLACE
The grey, wet morning at first appeared ominous as writers
gathered in the Ida Burchill Room at the Pilgrim Centre in Launceston. The room
was cosy and more than adequate to meet the needs of those participants keen to
hone new writing skills. There was to be no slacking as Merlene put us through
our paces, which began with the quote: It's not what you look at it's what
you see (Thoreau). And as we progressed through the exercises, we began to
realise our viewing concepts were changing right before us. We could now observe
aspects of the passing parade through microscopic lens, searching for the
obscure and weaving our stories more finely as the scenes unravelled more
intensely.
Our senses duly stimulated, the writers were then let loose
into the public domain. Any passing stranger or stark building, or even a piece
of chewing gum on the footpath could become writing fodder, grist to this
mill...
Good thing the rain had cleared...
Even observing through the arched windows was enough to
gather chaff to grind. That person with the tote bag stopping to check the
phone. The girls giggling as they alighted from the parked car, bouncing and
bubbly as they tripped away to the CBD. Funny about those tote bags. There were
a lot about. Ah, there's a library-book sale next door and they're handing them
out... That explains it! Then there was the little boy leaning against the
carpark wall. Is he holding up that great weight to prevent his life crashing
down on him? Is he holding it off, life, I mean? Or is he simply just waiting
for his mum to lock the car? She gathers his hand in hers and walks off. Oh,
well, there were possibilities...
(c) SWWT
SWWT was very pleased to be able to sponsor the workshop, Urban Writing -
Write about the Place, facilitated by Merlene Fawdry on March 29 2008
