Donald Rowley

Donald Rowley Poems

Donald Rowley Biography

I lived in London in the fabulous 1960's having gone there to write the great South African novel which I never got around to. Took a London taxi on the Continent for two and a half months. Hitchhiked, climbed Snowdon, committed all the usual follies. Emigrated to Australia for ten pounds. Married, had a daughter, acquired an MA in English Literature, a MLitt in Creative Writing and a DipLib. Have taught Creative Writing for the last eleven years. Wrote a novella in poetry called Adamastor's Children which is set in Apartheid South Africa. I have read it to large audiences at Sydney University, Macquarie University, The Fellowship of Australian Writers and other venues. I have been the Guest Poet at Live Poets and at the Australian National University Poets Luncheon in Canberra. I was the President of The Fellowship of Australian Writers for three years and Vice President for five. I am in the process of editing my first novel, The Erotic World of Fintan McCracken, a black comedy.)

The Best Poem Of Donald Rowley

In Venice

A breeze and the creak and splash of oars
Under pink cliffs of marbled palazzi
And the stillness, even with the oar's sound,
Of bright cupolas and sunburned tiles.

Floating on troubled waters
I watched your shadow
Flicker as the light faded, softening
Cipolin and the harsher tones of wood and stone.

I drew you in my fashion.
My words soared like white birds.
I brought olives and almonds
From green places to delight you

But you were far away
On a side canal of your own making,
Caught between crumbling walls
With a boatman in a flat black hat.

I waited.

Suddenly you blazed awake
And laughing, touched my hand.

We had come to the Grand Canal.

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