Surf Coast author launches his 11th book

LOCAL writer John Bartlett has recently introduced Excitations of Entanglement, his 11th book, at Torquay Library.

The poetry collection, primarily written during the COVID-19 lockdowns, was showcased in a conversation with Julie Maclean, a fellow award-winning author.

Ms Maclean commended Mr Bartlett’s work, noting its unique style and depth.

“John’s poems are sinewy and beautiful on the page,” she said.

“They have the sensuousness of the Baroque in form and style.”

Excitations of Entanglement draws inspiration from quantum physics, it refers to the phenomenon where entangled particles, regardless of the distance separating them, instantaneously affect each other’s state.

This idea mirrors the connections explored in the poems, from human relationships to environmental bonds.

Mr Bartlett reflected on the essence of the collection, saying: “A lot of these poems question where we are now as a community and as a planet, bringing in ideas of climate change and wars.”

 

Mr Bartlett, who has lived in the region for 27 years, followed a diverse career trajectory.

He began as a Catholic priest in the Philippines in the 1970s and later held various roles in Melbourne, including a stint as a movie extra and a community development officer with the Ministry of Housing.

His journey into writing began after completing a degree in Professional Writing and Editing at the Gordon Institute.

His works, spanning newspapers and magazines, led to further studies – a BA in Literature and an MA at Deakin University.

Mr Bartlett also passed on his knowledge as a tutor at Deakin’s Waurn Ponds campus before focusing solely on poetry.

In addition to his literary pursuits, Mr Bartlett has been an active community contributor. He organised events for the Geelong Library Corporation, was president at U3A Surf Coast for three years, and conducted a six-year writing workshop for U3A.

Since 2000, Mr Bartlett has authored a diverse range of 10 books, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry

His literary excellence has been recognised with the 2020 Ada Cambridge Poetry Prize and a High Commendation in the 2021 Mundaring Poetry Competition.

He was also longlisted in several prestigious awards, such as the Liquid Amber Poetry Prize and the Best Australian Yarn short story competition.

“Each poem is skilfully crafted, the work artfully created and confident,” Ms Maclean said.