Ian believes that creativity is fundamental to the human psyche where it functions (according to developmental, relational and biosemiotic logic) as a form of 'affirmative destructuring' - i.e. as an adaptive-evolutionary faculty capable of contributing to both personal and social wellbeing. This site acts as a gateway to his non-fiction, poetry & fiction writings, as well as to songs and audio recordings. Sample chapters from 1) The Angel of Luxury and Sadness (a non-fiction book on Chronic Ennui and Modernity - based on PhD research completed in 1998) as well as recent work on 2) Jungian psychology, Quantum Physics and Creativity entitled Hermes (Unheralded) God of the Postmodern Transition can be accessed here. Likewise, 3) sample chapters from another more personal non-fiction book on creativity entitled Muse of the Long Haul: Thirty-One Isles of the Creative Imagination.



Poetry samples also feature e.g.  samples from the poetry collection Facing the Demon of Noontide as well as links to poems published in literary journals and anthologies. Full texts of five recently published (2011-2013)  'digital chapbooks' can also be accessed here: 1) Hermes and the Philatelic Construction of the Multiverse; 2) Darwinian Poetics (poems inspired by Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle); 3) The Alchemical Sequence; 4) The Vietnamese Sequence and 5) Poems of the Interstitium (miscellaneous poems published in journals etc. between 1998 and 2012). There are also links to purchase or read samples from the literary-dystopian novel Dream-Dust Parasites (written as Ian Hobson)



The site also contains information concerning two alternative rock bands Ian has fronted and written songs for over the years: Goya's Child and Interstitum as well as information regarding coediting duties related to the following literature/writing journals and anthologies: The Animist (electronic journal of the arts 1998-2001), Scintillae 2012 (a print literary anthology) and Bendigo TAFE's student writing journal Painted Words (2005-2012). Short audio samples from public talks on creativity, literature, philosophy, psychology, etc. can also be accessed here. 



What's New?

* [March-April 2013] New Poetry: Three poems from the Charles Darwin sequence (A Power Denuded the Granite, The Devil's Confervae and the Work of Minute and Tender Animals) have been published at Artvilla.com (UK/Spain). For text version go to Text of Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle. The Audio of the  poems is at: Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle Revisited. See also other poems (plus Audio file) from 'Coral Reveries: Darwinian Poetics' (To Inhabit the Fields of Time, The Noble Love of Freedom and Their Massive God) at the online literary/poetry journal Poetry Life and Times (UK/Spain).



*[April 8-26th 2013] Recent Poetry, Creative Non-Fiction and academic N/F Publications:



1) The magical realist short story 'The Phantom Library' is now up at Scribd for viewing/reading. First published in Baachor Magazine - a Los Angeles based film industry magazine - in the late 1990s this heavily reworked version is as haunting and thought-provoking as ever - especially for creative writers and other artists seeking the motivation to complete projects ... :) 

2) A collection of 21 poems (over 40 pages) written during a 5 week trip to North Vietnam in 2007 have been made into a 'digital chap-book' and published at my Scibd site. Go to: The Vietnamese Sequence. The poems together resemble a 'poetic travel diary'.

3) A 'literary memoir' extract entitled, 'Isle of the Bronze Age Muse', is up at Scribd. It accompanies the first sample (see below) from my up-coming book 'Muse of the Long Haul: Thirty-One Isles of the Creative Imagination'. This chapter/article deals with my young-adult exposure to the works of Robert Graves and Laura Riding (Jackson) - particularly Graves' book The White Goddess. Whilst assessing its role in my development asa writer-poet I discuss the Taliesin-Cerridwen legend so central to ancient welsh understandings of the role of poets and poetic inspiration.

4) 'Hermes and the Philatelic Construction of the Multiverse'  (a digital chapbook) (32 pages) features various poems exploring cultural identity via stamps/philately. The collection mimics some stylistic features related to 'stamp catalogues' and borrows from  'docu(mentary)-poetics' - i.e. factual prose elements as well as stamp images accompany poems. Many of these poems have been published internationally. [Digital chap-book]. [See also two poems from the collection published by Linq literary journal (Qld.) in 2006 - Go to page 39-40 of the PDF to view: $10 Utopia and The Great Mother.

5) 'The Alchemical Sequence' (a digital chapbook) (55 pages) explores the idea of writing an 'alchemical biography' through poems that resemble Late Medieval-to-Early Modern 'alchemical recipes' - many of which, as C.G. Jung attested, contained revelations pertaining to 'spiritual alchemy'. This collection also makes use of a range of historic alchemical 'emblems/symbols/images' some of which are recolourings and redrawings by Scottish author, artist and alchemy expert Adam McLean (images used by permission of the Artist).  [Digital chap-book].

6) Draft 'Introduction' chapter from my new creative non-fiction book 'Muse of the Long-Haul: Thiry-One Isles of the Creative Imagination'. 

7) Copies of the Digital Chapbook 'Poems of the Interstitium' (23 poems published in various UK, NZ, US and Australian journals and anthologies between 1998 & 2012) are up at Scribd.

8) A creative non-fiction piece about my father, his father and football in Scotland in the 1920-30s entitled: 'Dennis Lillee, Robert Burns and the Big Centre Forward' .

9) Review of Mary Pomfret's recent book 'Writing in Virginia's Shadow', which is a collection of interconnected stories and poems. The review is entitled 'Life "Outside the Garden" (book review),  

10) An academic essay/chapter based on material from The Angel of Luxury and Sadness, entitled 'Ennui and Modernity: Introduction to The Angel of Luxury & Sadness'.

11) The final chapter (reworked) from the same work entitled '[Summary of] Historical Developments to the Problem of Chronic Ennui'.

12). See an up-dated description of my contribution to an emerging international poetic movement - got to Anti-Manifesto for aTranspersonal Relational Poetics at Scribd. Or a local version at: Transpersonal Relational Poetics). 



*[January-March 2013] New Songs by Interstitium: During the Australian summer and autumn I've been reconnecting with my 'inner songwriter' and have worked on a number of compositions with experimental music outfit 'Interstitium': 1) The Red-Brick Graveyard (an alt rock ballad). 2) See How Still She Sleeps, (also an alternative rock number); 3) a folksy song about my days as a fast bowler (cricket) in my late teens entitled 'The Gift of Pace'; 4) A 'live' sample of a song called 'Golem' - (Alt-Goth rock - live version); 5) 'Fallen Woman' - (folk-goth-live version :) ) & 6) Cosmic Suicide [Note: these are links to AudioBoo 3 minute samples - some pieces are live-draft recordings]. These six songs are currently included in the 'Allplay' playlist at the top of this page along with two other non-Interstitium songs: 7) Letter to You and 8) The Last Summer.Go to: Ian Irvine (Hobson) at 'AudioBoo' for all sound samples - the 'playlist' above also allows access to arange of sound files at the AudioBoo site.  [All recordings of poems and songs copyright Ian Irvine (Hobson) all rights reserved].



* See Kara Irvine-Kingsmith's (she's my daughter) YouTube acoustic cover of the song 'Beside You' by 5 Seconds of Summer - I think it's pretty cool! [PS: she's only 13].



* [March 2013] Publications of Articles and Essays - Updates are available for download via Scribd, of a 1998 essay on 'normative ennui' in Flaubert's great novel Madame Bovary. The essay (1) is entitled 'Flaubert, Madame Bovary and the Twilight of Romanticism'.  Likewise there's an up-date of an article on Acedia, Tristitia and Sloth (as these maladies relate to modern versions of 'chronic ennui') Note: both articles are from the series on historical and contemporary discussion of 'chronic ennui' and like maladies being assembled at Scribd. Two more new articles are also available this month for download: 2) Notes on Creativity Revolutions: Key Aspects of Socio-Cultural and Literary Postmodernism  also 3) 'Some Contemporary Experimental Literatures' ('On the Road to a Transpersonal Relational Poetics').



* The Price of Experience: An interview I conducted with US National Book Award winning poet, Clayton Eshleman, (originally published online in Jacket Magazine no. 36, Sydney Australia, and reprinted in Scintillae 2012) has been included in a just released compendium of Eshleman's writings published by Blackwidow Press (Modern Poetry Series) entitled The Price of Experience. The compendium includes: two new larger poems; essays on various poets (including Blackburn, Vallejo, Joris and Cesaire); reviews of works by Golub, Hickman, Olson, Rich & Soutine; memoir pieces; journal extracts; 11 lectures on French Upper Paleolithic cave art; transcripts of a conversation between the poet and Robert Kelly; a number of prose poems; a translation of Michaux's poem 'Movements'; the chance-assembled poem "Erratics" and four interviews with Clayton (including my own). The Price of Experience is described as a 'literary anatomy' of some 490 pages and complements Eshleman's other recent publications, The Jointure  and Anatomy of the Night.  NB: the link to The Price of Experience above is for Australian readers but the book is also available from a range of other online publishers including Amazon.com (by January 2013). 



* Into the Middle of Things: Back in late 2012 I was interviewed for a documentary project called 'Into the Middle of Things'. See update summary of Into the MIddle of Things at: November summary ITMOT and ITMOT main site. The ITMOT 'online time-capsule is set to be launched in 2013.



* August 2012 Up-date on Transpersonal Relational Poetics 'anti-manifesto' (see link above for main article): I've recently been alerted to the following online articles/journals/blogs that bring together elements of this emerging international poetic movement. Romanian poet Razvan Tupa has been instrumental in promoting 'relational poetics' in Europe generally. The following links will allow readers to explore this emerging contemporary poetics (which has much in common with what Sue and I have labelled 'TRP') more thoroughly: Poe-zine November 2009. (No. 5, at Scribd online site). The introductory section quotes extensively from 'Anti-Manifesto for a Transpersonal Relational Poetics' (see link above) as well as from English translations from the Romanian magazine 'Stare de Urgenta'  (Chisinau, Moldavia) which outlined both the main principles of 'relational poetics' and various texts that have contributed  to its contemporary development as an alternative poetics. See also, Razvan Tupa's 'Romanian Bodies' blog which gives an interesting recent interpretation/history of relational poetics. [Wikipedia entry for: Razvan Tupa].



* [August 16th 2012]  Bendigo Writers Festival:The historic inaugural Bendigo Writers Festival 2012 concluded Sunday evening. Bendigo's talented contingent of writers and creative thinkers - many of whom featured as guests or presenters - have been on cloud 9 ever since. Large crowds (many from Melbourne and interstate) turned up to celebrate this inaugural event, as both famous and emerging writers (many from this region)  performed to packed venues. For a wonderful summary of the significance of the event to central Victorian writers and the Bendigo community generally go to: 'Bendigo Writers Mix it with the Nation's Best' by John Holton and published in the Bendigo Advertiser, Tuesday, Aug. 14th 2012. For more on the line -up for the 2012 festival go to: Bendigo Writers Festival and Program BWF 2012. See also media on the Poetry Slam at the Bendigo Writers' Festival. [See also PDF of Print version of the article by Rosemary Sorensen]. Tru Dowling ('The Purple Poet') and I co-organised the 'poetry slam' event (backed by Bendigo TAFE). Image: Scintillae 2012 launch at the BWF festival Saturday August 11th (image copyright Tom McWilliam, 2012). 



* [July 28th 2012] Radio discussion involving Ian, James Roberts of Phoenix FM Central Victoria and 'Tobias' the Irish poet, regarding: Scintillae 2012 writing anthology; events at the then up-coming Bendigo Writers Festival, as well as other topics literary, musical, philosophical and political. Date recorded: Friday July 28th 2012 as a part of James Roberts' show 'Crazy Words' (Every Friday 11pm to Saturday 2am on Phoenix FM).



*[June 2012, updated July 1st] Read a PDF copy of my article  'Trickster Gods and the Quantum Muse'. See also the Flyer for TRICKSTER GODS & THE QUANTUM MUSE. A version of the article was delivered as a talk on Monday 4th June (5.30-6.30pm) at the Bendigo Central Goldfields Library (part of the 'Philosophy in the Library' series). The talk, also entitled 'Trickster Gods and the Quantum Muse', focused on deconstructive, chaotic and boundary blurring/crossing aspects to creativity (associated with the archetype of the trickster) which were linked to contemporary developments in quantum physics and astrophysics. Where might the ancient notion of the 'Muse' (or 'Muses') fit into the contemporary picture - can we speak of a Quantum Muse? [Hear an interview with Ian for Phoenix FM conducted by James Roberts on June 1st/2nd 2012 advertising the talk].



*There was a good turn out on the night and the debate between physicists/scientists, Jungians, perennialist philosophers and an ensemble of creative artists (poets, musicians and painters) was spirited and interesting - all in all an enjoyable night with some people texting or emailing me later to say they'd wrote stories or poems inspired by the content of the talk! 



SUMMARY of SOME KEY EXTERNAL SITES



* Extensive author bio: Ian Irvine (Hobson).

* A range of articles/essays and fiction is available at Scribd - go to Ian Irvine (Hobson) at Scribd. 

* AudioBoo Podcasts - Music, poems and talks and lectures (extracts/ samples): http://audioboo.fm/iirvine

* You-Tube 'channel' go to: Channel View of various Goya's Child (1) 

* Ian Irvine (Hobson) at Creative Thinkers International.

* LinkedIn pages - go to: Ian Irvine (Hobson) at Linked In.  

* The Animist electronic journal of the arts - 1998-2001 (7editions archived by Pandora e-text preservation sit, National library of Australia, Canberra, Australia.

* More general biographical details can be found at Freebase



RECENT NON-FICTION WRITINGS/RESEARCH



SEVEN PIECES from Hermes (Unheralded) God of the Postmodern Transition are up at Scribd : ARTICLE 1 - Alchemy and the Imagination - Part 1 (Ian Irvine); ARTICLE 2 - Alchemy and the Imagination Part 2: The Role of Hermes; ARTICLE 3 - Jung, Alchemy and Active Imagination; ARTICLE 4 - Hermes and Postmodern 'Creativity' - Pt4 of 'Alchemy and the Imagination'; ARTICLE 5 - 'Hermes Negatively Polarised (1)' examines key aspects of contemporary society and culture from the perspective of archetypal psychology; ARTICLE 6 -  Hermesian Epidemics (the 6th in the series) explores a range of psychological and relational maladies apparently epidemic in our age. ARTICLE 7 - PDF version of 'Trickster Gods and the Quantum Muse'. A further article - ARTICLE 8 - concerning 'Biosemiosis and the Hermes Archetype' is currently being edited for publication. The series explores a range of issues from adapted Jungian/archetypal perspective, Transpersonal and Quntum perspectives .



See also my recent articles concerning a) the demise of print-based traditional Literary journals entitled Print-Based Literary Journals and the Mutations of Thoth and b) an up-date, at Scribd, of my 1998 essay on 'normative ennui' in Flaubert's great novel Madame Bovary entitled 'Flaubert, Madame Bovary and the Twilight of Romanticism'. 



* NOTE: Amazon.com has recently created a 'look inside' function for my 2001 non-fiction book concerning psycholspiritual maladies in the modern/postmodern world. See: The Angel of Luxury and Sadness.



* For articles/essays and fiction available at Scribd go to Ian Irvine (Hobson) at Scribd. 



RECENT POETRY



* 'Coral Reveries: Pt.1 of 'Darwinian Poetics' added. These dozen or so poems mine Darwin's 'The Voyage of the Beagle' to explore his dawning awareness, as young man, that his 'received knowledge' regarding the nature of the cosmos was wrong. The poems also explore the so-called 'Death of God' theme, aspects of modernity and Darwin's essentially melancholic response to his discoveries. Darwin's lyrical prose style is also evident in some of the borrowed/sampled/reconstituted phrases that dot this small collection of poems.



*See also a selection of my published poems: Where Have You Buried the Poets?; Various Poems by Ian Irvine (Hobson); The Paper Icon and the Genie - by Ian Irvine; The Poet's Super - by Ian Irvine; The First Hint of a Realist Sun - Poem by Ian Irvine; Four Poems on Desacralisation and Disenchantment and Europe After the Rain - Ian Irvine.



* For an Mp3 recording of poems related to a visit to Vietnam in 2007 go to: Vietnamese Segue - WMA recording of poems by Ian Irvine by Ian Irvine (Hobson) copyright, 2007-2010. * See also a list of texts useful to contemporary poets entitled Ian's List of Foundation Books for Contemporary Poets.

TEACHING in the CREATIVE ARTS, HUMANITIES and SOCIAL SCIENCES



* I have taught a range of Creative Arts, Humanities and Social Science subjects across several adult education sectors since 1994 (Degree, Advanced Diploma, Diploma, Cert IV etc.). For the past decade duties have included coordinating and teaching in the Professional Writing and Editing program at Bendigo TAFE (Victoria, Australia). Currently coordination extends across Music and Writing. For the BRIT writing program in 2013 I'll be delivering 'Poetry and Lyric Writing', 'Novel Writing', and, with Dr Tom McWilliam, 'Literature for Writers'. I'll also be delivering 'Myths and Symbols' for writers year-long in the Diploma of PWE at Victoria University (St Albans campus, Melbourne, Australia).  [Other teaching engagements: 1) Community Services program at Bendigo TAFE (2000-2012), 2)  lectured and/or tutored in History and Sociology units at La Trobe University (Bendigo) in the mid-to-late 90s.]



FICTION WRITING



* NEW EBOOK VERSIONS OF DDP: My novel Dream-Dust Parasites can be sampled at the Scribd site for possible purchase. The Scribd sample is accurate to the Print version of DDP - whereas there have been formatting issues with some of the plethora of ebook versions currently circulating on the WWW (it's hard to keep track of them all, at times!). With e-book versions in my control (i.e. Kindle/Nook/Mobi/Sony devices, etc.)  I'm currently working with an ebook designer and my publisher to  ensure that all versions of DDP available at online bookstores are formatted to the same high standard as the print edition of 2003. In the mean time the ancient technology of a paper is still available from Amazon etc. from $12.00 or so US, likewise the formatting of the 'Kindle ebook for PC' version of the novel is accurate/correct to the print edition of the novel (at $3.99US).See also the AMAZON.COM look inside function for Dream-Dust Parasites.



MUSIC/LYRIC WRITING

  

VARIOUS NEW SONGS by INTERSTITIUM: 1* See How Still She Sleeps, an alternative rock piece is up at AudioBoo in the form of a 3 minute sample. This version copyright Ian Irvine 2013, all rights reserved. 2 * The Red-Brick Graveyard, an alt. rock ballad. This version, copyright Ian Irvine 2013, all rights reserved. 3*The Gift of Pace: I've been working on a song (with accompanying video) concerning my days as a fast bowler (i.e. cricketer) in my late teens entitled 'The Gift of Pace'. The song features in a private You-Tube video (non-commercial). 4*The Force of Progress: See link to video & audio page featuring my lament for the environment:  'The Force of Progress/Cosmic Suicide' copyright 1998-2010 all rights reserved. 

* Goya's Child (Alternative rock band): For my young adult 'ancient history' as a muso go to: 'The History of Goya's Child (1)' including access to old live recordings and some recent videos by the band as well as links to Goya's Child (2) material, some discussion as to the origins of the band's name, and a list of songs written by Goya's Child (1).

* Travel, Poetry and Music Videos at You Tube: This You-Tube 'channel'  features old Goya's Child songs as well as recent travel videos- go to: Channel View of various Goya's Child (1).



Literary Journal Co-editor: Scintillae 2012, The Animist and Painted Words



* Scintillae 2012 Launch (Aug. 24th 2012): the Scintillae 2012 anthology of Central Victorian writers (and guests) was launched at the Bendigo Writers Festival (10th - 12th August) on the Saturday afternoon (4.30-6pm) in the Banquet Room/main festival hub to a large, good humoured crowd. [SEE FULL SUMMARY, INCLUDING MEDIA REPORTS, REVIEWS and LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS].

* Painted Words 2012, (edition 8) was launched by award winning Central Victorian novelist John Charalambous, at Vahlands Bistro, Central Bendigo campus of TAFE on Thursday 22nd of November, 2012. Like its sister publication, Scintillae 2012, the new anthology has been printed in large format (with 240 pages) and features over 30 Central Victorian and Bendigo TAFE PWE writers and poets. For the first time the anthology also features novel extracts by students enrolled in the Novel Writing units of the PWE program - on top of the usual poetry, flash fiction, non-fiction and short stories. Along with myself, Peter Wiseman (designer and project manager), Dr. Tom McWilliam and Tru Dowling oversaw the book's publication and editing along with students from the Diploma level 'Project Management' and 'Advanced Editing' units. Painted Words 2012, like Scintillae 2012, is available from the Bendigo TAFE library. For contributors list and cover image go to: Painted Words 2012. 

See also Painted Words 7 (2011) launched by Victorian poet and writer John Holton. For covers and other bits and pieces: 2011, 2010,2009, 2008, 2007 (plus Intro 2007), 2006 and 2005. Also various editions one picture PLUS 2011 article Bendigo Advertiser. 



NOTE: The eight editions of Painted Words have featured over 1400 pages of new writing by over 280 contributors (including 70 artists/illustrators). Staff and students from the PWE program have also edited, designed & published the various editions of the journal. [See also Painted Words 7 (2011) - launched by Victorian poet and writer John Holton - & Painted Words (2005-2010, editions 1-6) + Brit Bits (2002).



* The Animist Electronic Journal of the Arts: This link will take you to the archived copies of The Animist - a literary journal I coedited with Dr Sue King-Smith and John Holton between 1998 and 2001 (7 editions). The Animist is housed by the Pandora e-text archives (Australian National Library Canberra, Australia) and featured many leading Australian and international poets, fiction writers and creative thinkers. It also featured music, multimedia art galleries and historically significant innovations such as poetry randomizers, animated Gifs, etc. [In 2001 The Animist was ranked among the ten best online literature journals in the world by Encyclopedia Brittanica.]



OTHER INTERESTING STUFF



* CREATIVE THINKERS INTERNATIONAL: Creative Thinkers International is a creative community website founded by American poet, novelist and non-fiction writer Aberjhani (see his pages/corner at the site & his Wikipedia listing). The site is dedicated to positive social and cultural change through experiments in creativity/creative thinking. Go to: Ian Irvine (Hobson) at Creative Thinkers International.



* AudioBoo: For sample podcasts of songs, poems, story extracts, audio blogs, lecture/public talk extracts etc. from these pages, etc. up at AudioBoo go to:  http://audioboo.fm/iirvine. More and more Audio Boo media links will appear in these Authorsden Pages over the enxt few months. 



* LINKED IN: If you're on Linked In and are a writing and editing professional, alternative psychologist or simply a lover of history, sociology (especially of the New Media), literature, philosophy, mythology (and human spiritual systems generally), theories of (and practical applications of) creativity, avant garde poetics, etc. feel free to connect to me through that site. I'm not a big Facebook fan but I'm happy to link with like-minded professionals at the Linked In site. Likewise, if you're interested in the way in which the arts and creative thinking generally can explore, address, critique, etc. aspects of the contemporary world! I'm especially keen to link with former colleagues and students (e.g. writing and editing, sociology/community services/the Koori Unit, Medieval and Early Modern History etc.). Go to: Ian Irvine (Hobson) at Linked In.  [See also general biographical pages at Freebase].



* Anyone for Cricket?  In 2010 an article [Go to: Bendigo Weekly - Feature Article on Ian Irvine], exploring my previous career as a professional cricketer, went up at the Bendigo Weekly newspaper site, more recently an international archive has been constructed related to players and matches worldwide - if you;lre a cricket fan go to the international Cricket Archive listing for Ian Irvine. See also my first ever song (and video) dealing with that part of my life entitled: 'The Gift of Pace'.



* SUBJECT INDEX PUBLIC LECTURES: Full list of lectures, public talks and conference presentations 1994-2012. [NB: Please feel free to contact me through this site if you wish to engage me to deliver either a series of talks or one off presentations].



* MERCURIOUS PRESS AT GEM99: Publications by Dr. Ian Irvine Mercurius Press Australia (at the Gem99 publishing assistance site) - peruse my catalogue of downloads (some free some for a fee) related to low cost digital publications e.g. Essays, Non-Fiction books, Poetry collections, Fiction books/collections, anthologies etc. AND  MP3 recordings of lecturers/public talks etc.



I am influenced by ...



Many other writers, poets and creative thinkers have been inspirational to me over the years. Please see the link below to view the pages of some of these people: go to links pages. Enjoy!



Writer's Residence: I live in country Victoria (Australia) on a 5acre block about fifteen minutes from central Bendigo. The block is remnant box-ironbark woodland, thus a couple of dozen huge grey and yellow box trees (as well as a hundred or so smaller ones) dominate the scenery. At the front of the block is a reasonable sized dam - currently full to the brim (despite a small leak) - used for canooing, boating, yabbying, swimming, wild-life watching, meditating and poem and story birthing. Turtles, goannas, echidnas, stumpy tail (also frill-neck and blue-tongue) lizards, ghekos/skinks, yabbies, magpies, owls and wedge-tailed eagles, occasional kangaroos and wallabies, hares, native pidgins, ibises (sacred to Thoth Egyptian god of writing), possums, red-belly black snakes and an occasional 7 foot brown snake called 'Skin' (plus some of his or her 3 foot offspring) share the ecosystem. The block features often in my poetry and prose. My neighbour, John Holton (also a poet and writer), recently wrote a wonderful piece for the Bendigo Advertiser describing life at 'Costa del Strathfieldsaye'  during school holidays. John's adjoining land is even more densely wooded and thus bees and bird life abound. [You can access over 50 of John's pieces (really little prose poem meditations (almost 'prose sutras') on life, the universe, tea, Bendigo and surrounds and a Zen dog called Rommie - pictured by the boat in the article) as well as his poetry proper at that site].