POETS see beautiful images in ordinary moments - such as the breath of a bull of a frosty twilight, or headstones arranged like chess pieces in a graveyard or small countries appearing in the water spilled on the hot cement at a swimming pool.
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Local poet Russell Erwin records such images. He has just had his fifth book of poetry published.
As the blurb of the book suggests, Maps of Small Countries contains poems of "memoir and celebration meditation and exploration, sketches and simple vignette".
The title comes a poem, which contains a strikingly beautiful image of water dripping from children onto hot cement at a country swimming pool. The puddles forming at their feet are like "the drying maps of small countries".
Mr Erwin said he selected this as the title because he felt like each poem was like a small country - complete in itself.
"A lot of the poems are pieces from way back, which pre-dated a lot of the other poems which have been published already," he said.
"They were just sitting about, stewing. They constitute a rough chronological order from childhood to where I am now.
"Some poems are from a long time ago - sometimes you write something and think it is the bees' knees and if you are smart, you put it aside and you realise that maybe it isn't.
There is one longer poem - Off The South Coast - and other local places like Moss Vale and Bigga are visited in this book.
"They are reflections from a whole life really," he said.
"Writing poetry is such a solitary pursuit, especially if you are not assured of your talent and skill, as I wasn't when I was starting out.
"A much finer poet, Alan Gould, said to me that it wasn't until he got to page 66 of the manuscript that he found something vaguely humorous. He said I was miserable and I guess there are lots of elegies for people who have passed on in it, but I hope there is also humour in there."
The book is being launched at August 10 at University House, Canberra, where poet Geoff Page, "will release the little thing down into the dark waters".
"There is also a plan to have a "bash" at the Bannister Hall, at a date to be advised, as a fundraiser to help us continue fixing it up so we can use it as a community centre," he said.
"Since getting the hall we have been trying to find ways to get it in a financially sustainable position so this is just another thing we're trying. Bannister is a tight little district with a fabulous community spirit. I moved there in 1982 as a teacher and have been on the farm ever since."
"There are times when one is 'on fire' and times when there is nothing and you think everything is crap. Then there is a delightful stage of being in the middle of a writing project," he said.
"I don't sit down to write every night, but if I am cooking then I will give away days to it. You need to find that sparkle, but I find that writing allows one to get lost or be lost in a place."
Mr Erwin has won awards for his poetry including The Dorothy Porter Prize in 2015. His book Taken By The Enemy was also been shortlisted for the Age Book of the Year Award.
His other books include: Clear Hills Empty Sky, From Here, Taken By The Enemy and Towards An Imminent Arrival.
Maps of Small Countries has been published by Ginninderra Press and is available from their website for $22.50. Mr Erwin will also have copies at his book launches.
