EVERY unappreciated poet in a conservative backwater must dream of being Thom the
World Poet.
After fleeing the oppressive Queensland atmosphere in the late 1960’s — "The police
were rather extreme in their points of view," Thom said — he went on to establish
the world-
His international stature has allowed him to tour the world, performing and distributing poetry on the streets, radio and stage, in cafes and at schools and universities.
Almost 30 years later, Thom has made a triumphant return to his home town for the
1997 Queensland Poetry Festival which will run at West End's Orleigh Park from August
1-
Thom said he'was amazed at Brisbane's flourishing poetry scene and named West End as the poetic epicentre.
"West End is typical of the intelligence of early San Francisco. We have a lot of very exotic people here," he said.
Thom will perform and improvise at The Hub in Margaret St tomorrow from 7pm, at No
Boundaries in the Boundary Hotel on July26 at 2pm and with West End folk band Bottom's
Dream at the QCA Gallery on Sunday from noon-
For details on the Queensland Poetry Festival contact Brett Dionysius on 0412 319 354.
Published in the Queensland’s Southern News, July 24, 1997