Johanna's BlogJennifer Compton
Jennifer Compton was born in New Zealand but emigrated to Australia in the early 70s. She now lives in Wingello on the Southern Highlands of NSW. She is a poet and a playwright. Her first book of poetry From The Other Woman was published as part of the Five Islands New Poet Series in 1993. Aroha was published by Flarestack Press in the UK in 1998. Then there was Blue – Indigo Imprint at Ginninderra Press – in 2000 which was short listed for the NSW Premiers Prize in 2001. Followed by Parker & Quink in 2004.
She was awarded the NSW Writers Fellowship in 1996, the first time this has been awarded to a poet. However during her Fellowship year she also wrote a play called The Big Picture which premiered at the Griffin Theatre in Sydney in 1997 and was published by Currency Press.
Her poetry has been widely published by magazines in Australia, New Zealand, North America and the UK and in 2004 she was a guest at the International Festival of Poetry in Genoa.
Law and Order
He came up behind me on the street
and held a knife to my bare throat.
My bag was tucked under my arm
but I loosed my grip and let him
rummage inside among my things.
My wallet. With the library cards,
the raffle tickets, and some cash.
With one hand he filched the notes.
I could not see his face but heard
his breath panting on my neck.
My visa card fell to the pavement.
I felt the awkward stoop jolt me
as he picked it up. "What's this?"
he said. "What's your name?" he said.
He dragged me backwards towards
the ATM and I silently acquiesced.
I saw a woman looking at us in this
intimate embrace. In this city street.
The quizzical look you give to lovers
stealing kisses from each other like
a violent crime, a grievous bodily harm.
I struggled to speak, above the knife,
"He wants to know my name!" I said.
Jennifer Compton - Law and Order
