Rodney Williams

Writing poems for over 50 years, Rodney Williams is the editor of ‘Catchment – Poetry of Place’, a literary journal within the Bbaa website. Its first edition went live online in December, 2023, presenting work from 65 Australian poets, in Western free verse & Japanese-based tanka. Its second issue will be released in June, 2024.

A former secretary of the Australian Haiku Society, Rodney has had writing in that genre published widely, here and overseas. He has also done editorial work with tanka in the ‘Atlas Poetica’ website (USA). 

His longer poetry has appeared in significant periodicals, including ‘Mascara Literary Review,’ ‘Overland’ and ‘The Long Paddock’ from ‘Southerly’ (Australia); plus ‘Adelaide Literary Magazine’ (NYC) and ‘Antipodes’ (also USA); along with ‘Blackmail Press’ (NZ) and ‘Poetry New Zealand’. 

Rodney had essays included in ‘Five Bells,’ alongside poems.
‘StylusLit’ has published his poetry and short fiction. His creative prose has also been posted online by the ‘Sudo Journal’. 

Collaborating on a multi-genre book with oil-painter Otto Boron, Rodney has had six volumes of verse released through Ginninderra Press, with artwork provided by Jeff Thege, Helen Timbury and Sally Walk. He wrote lyrics for CD’s by singer-songwriter-guitarists Ricky Allan & Todd Cook. 

For 35 years, Rodney was a secondary school English teacher: in retirement – through Bbaa – he convenes Time to Write. He has conducted workshops and presentations within provincial writing festivals, community arts events & the regional library system. Rodney Williams has likewise given readings on radio, in theatrical performances and at poetry nights, including the Melbourne Writers’ Festival. 

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Three poems by Rodney Williams:

Landed

speckled trout
several pound
a cubit long
elbow to fingertip
tail to lip
            no fishy story, this

this one that got away
from many a barb
            squirming worm
many a lure
            wobbling gleam
many a fly
            floating hoax

at last had mouthed a hook
it could not spit:

            rainbow trout
            stiff as a trophy fish
            landed by drought

Nerrena Hills, South Gippsland, 1982

Published in Rodney’s poetry collection ‘In this dusty rear-view mirror: 55 poems’ (2015)


Tanka

dark too soon
on this autumn night …
a wailing train
heads back to the city
so far behind me

Princes Highway, Trafalgar East (first published in ‘A Hundred Gourds’ 2:4 Sept 2013)

Later included in Rodney’s chapbook ‘Fred the Rescue Cat: 70 tanka’ (launched through the
Bbaa in 2023)

Beyond that next crest                                                                        

A triolet for KPR from Omeo, VIC

Beyond that next crest along the way –            
Over this high country – aspire                        
Towards being whole. Let yourself delay            
Beyond that next crest. Along the way            
Go free to reflect, respecting interplay                                                            
Between cloud & blue sky, aiming higher
Beyond that next crest, along the way:            
Over this high country, a spire …

Published in ‘The Crow’ (Ginninderra Press, Port Adelaide, SA, December 2022)