John Forbes (poet)

John Forbes (September 1, 1950 - January 23, 1998) was an Australian poet.

Life

John Forbes was born in Melbourne, Australia, but during his childhood his family lived in northern Queensland, Malaya and New Guinea. He went to Sydney University and his circle of friends included the poets Robert Adamson, Martin Johnston, and John Tranter. It was at this time that the work of the American poets Ted Berrigan, John Ashbery and Frank O'Hara made a strong and lasting impression on him.

He returned to live in Melbourne in the late 1980s, where he became the poetry editor of Scripsi. His friends around this time included the poets Gig Ryan, Laurie Duggan and Alan Wearne.

Forbes died in Melbourne of a heart attack, aged 47.

Works

*"Collected Poems, 1970-1998"; 2001, Brandl & Schlesinger, ISBN 1-876040-27-0.
*"Damaged Glamour"; 1998, Brandl & Schlesinger, ISBN 1-876040-10-6.
*"New and Selected Poems"; 1992, Angus & Robertson, ISBN 0-207-16951-9.
*"The Stunned Mullet"; 1988, Hale & Ironmonger.
*"Stalin's Holidays"; 1981, Transit Poetry.
*"Drugs"; 1979, Black Lamb Press.
*"On the Beach"; 1977, Sea Cruise Books.
*"Tropical Skiing"; 1976, Angus & Robertson.

Related Works

*Ken Bolton (ed.) "Homage to John Forbes". (Brandl & Schlesinger, 2002)

External links

* [http://afactor.net/forbes/info/jf.html Poems, links etc.]
* [http://jacketmagazine.com/03/index.shtml Forbes issue of "Jacket"]
* [http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/AHR/archive/Issue-February-1998/mead.html Essay on Forbes] by Philip Mead

Persondata
NAME=Forbes, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Late twentieth century Australian poet
DATE OF BIRTH=September 1, 1950
PLACE OF BIRTH=Melbourne, Australia
DATE OF DEATH=January 23, 1998
PLACE OF DEATH=Melbourne, Australia