John Forbes (poet) explained

John Forbes (1 September 1950 – 23 January 1998) was an Australian poet.^[1]

Forbes was born in Melbourne, but during his childhood his family lived in northern Queensland, Malaya and New Guinea.^[2] 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.^[3]

Works

• Collected Poems, 1970–1998; 2001, Brandl & Schlesinger, .
• Damaged Glamour; 1998, Brandl & Schlesinger, .^[4]
• Humidity; 1998, Equipage.
• New and Selected Poems; 1992, Angus & Robertson, .^[5]
• The Stunned Mullet; 1988, Hale & Iremonger.^[6]
• Stalin's Holidays; 1981, Transit Poetry.^[7]
• 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

• Poems, links etc., including obituary by Alan Wearne
• Forbes issue of Jacket
• Essay on Forbes by Philip Mead

Notes and References

1. News: Peter Craven (literary critic). Craven . Peter . 1998-01-28 . Poet and critic of the first rank . 30 . The Age . 2021-11-03.
2. News: Richardson . Owen . 1998-02-01 . Snatched from our midst, for no rhyme or reason . 21 . The Age . 2021-11-03.
3. News: Clark . Andrew . 1998-01-24 . Aussie poet's shock death . 10 . The Age . 2021-11-03.
4. News: Porter . Peter . 1998-08-01 . A pure poet of impurities . 110 . The Age . 2021-11-03.
5. News: Schwartz . Larry . 1992-04-26 . Offerings from a painstaking perfectionist . 35 . The Age . 2021-11-03.
6. News: Redford . Jennifer . 1989-03-25 . The poet as his worst enemy . 40 . The Sydney Morning Herald . 2021-11-03.
7. News: Shapcott . Thomas . 1981-05-23 . Surface poetry that shocks and disturbs . 30 . The Age . 2021-11-03.