Johanna's BlogKevin Hart
b. 1954, London
Hart is internationally recognised as a poet, critic, philosopher and theologian. Born in England, he grew up in Brisbane, and taught Philosophy and English at the University of Melbourne. He has recently taken up a position at the University of Virginia. His new book of poems is Young Rain (Giramondo). Hart was one of four poets whose work was celebrated in The Red Room Company's 'The Poet's Life Works' series 2009.
Publications
2008 Young Rain (Sydney: Giromondo Press; Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Bloodaxe Books, 2009; Notre Dame: Notre Dame University Press, 2009). http://www.giramondopublishing.com/buy
2002 Flame Tree: Selected Poems (Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Bloodaxe Books), Australian edition published by Paperpark Press, 205 pp. Chinese translation (Beijing: Jiangsu Press, 2006), 296 pp.
1999 Wicked Heat (Sydney: Paperbark Press); rpt., 2000
1995 New and Selected Poems (Sydney: HarperCollins) [Chinese translation (Beijing: Yilin Press, 2000]
1991 Peniel (Melbourne: Golvan Arts)
1984 Your Shadow (Sydney: Angus and Robertson)
1981 The Lines of the Hand (Sydney: Angus and Robertson)
1978 The Departure (Brisbane: University of Queensland Press)
Dark Bird
What do you want with me today, dark bird?
Why are you flying low, beneath that branch?
I know your shadow: you were long since gone,
My killdeer, rough-winged swallow, mourning dove,
Death plays its flute with all your bones, dark bird,
You brood within my nest of breath, dark bird,
Your razor claw is in my eye, dark bird,
Sweet finches are in blossom here, dark bird,
My father's dying now, dark bird, you know,
He feels your shadow now, dark bird, you know,
His bones are hollow now, dark bird, you know,
He's turned to feathers now, dark bird, you know,
Take to another land, dark bird, fly now,
Go snap sweet sunflower souls, dark bird, fly now,
A thousand deaths await you there, dark bird,
Fly fast dark bird fly fast fly past dark bird
Kevin Hart - The Poet's Life Works discussion and reading
