To start the week off is “Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry”, a night of poetry in many tongues featuring writer, student and spoken word poet, Hani Abdile, tonight (September 10) at Smith’s. Abdile was born during the civil war in Somalia, and eventually escaped and fled to Australia by boat. After spending months in immigration detention, she found healing in writing poetry.

The evening will include readings from Subhash Jaireth’s translation project, where participants produced translations and reinterpretations of selected poems under the guidance of Jaireth, who has himself published poetry, fiction and nonfiction in Hindi, Russian and English.

Six local multilingual poets, Amala Jayasekara (Sinhalese), Anu Arvis (Mongolian and Russian), Asha Naznin (Bengali), Karina Palomita (Spanish, Bahasa Indonesia), Kaya Lattimore (Cebuano, Tagalog), and  Vesna Cvjeticanin, (Serbian) will also present their work .

Then, on Wednesday, Poetry at the House will feature Susan Fealy from Melbourne and two local poets, Laurie McDonald and Judith Crispin.

Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry, at Smith’s Alternative, 76 Alinga Street, Civic, 7pm-9pm, September 10. Tickets at the door, and Poetry at the House, 7.30pm, Wednesday, September 12, in the Fellows Bar of University House (1 Balmain Crescent, Acton). 

“Poetry on the Move”, various venue September 13-17. Booking to eventbrite.com.au