Damian Balassone is a regular contributor to the Almanac. He writes prose which is far more colourful than its black and white subject matter. He is, of course, one of many Magpies.
Some time ago he sent me a long, narrative poem about a character called Daniel Yammacoona. It was a project of considerable magnitude and, like all writers, Damian was in the process of refining it.
He has now done that and it is the title poem in his collection Daniel Yammacoona.
Damian’s writing celebrates place. His poetry is evocative; the descriptions are a key. And they are about the things people do in these places and are meaningful in these places. Indeed they consider the importance of place in the discovery of and the projection of meaning.
The specific subjects are wide and varied. They include football.
I will mention just one poem in his collection of Footy Quatrains:
“Geelong Hymn #5”
Sport is Barwon’s Medicine,
Football is our tablet,
we don’t care for Jesus Christ,
we have Gary Ablett.
Daniel Yammacoona is available now. It is best to contact Damian directly: [email protected]
Thanks for the plug John! Just to add, you can purchase from Readings bookstores/online, the publisher Ginninderra Press, or else contact me on the email address that John has listed above and we will work something out.
Cheers,
DB
You can have another plug from me. This is a short book of poems but I wish it were longer. Damian Balassone is a true poet> he loves the sounds that words make and his poems cry out to be read aloud. Whatever this book costs it is worth it so buy a copy. Do it now.
Finally got to reading it Damian and it made the trip to and from work fly.
Superb stuff, once again disproving the illiterate ‘Pie supporter stereotype.
I wonder if Martin Flanagan has come across Yamma, he’d be all over it I reckon.