Böcker av Colleen Keating

'It was the prevailing attitude in the 1960s that women had no history. There were no women's studies, nothing.' - Judy Chicago, creator of the iconic art installation The Dinner Party, 2017'The Dinner Party by the talented poet Colleen Keating brings to light, through beautiful lyrical poetry, what for centuries has been ignored: the power and strength of women. Very little has been made known about the lives of influential women of the past, as women's lived experience has been suppressed, even erased from history. In this collection, the poet resuscitates the experience of women from prehistory to women's twentieth-century revolution. Her poetry traces the lives of women who demonstrated their influence, in every field including philosophy, medicine, writing, art, astronomy, suffragists and justice warriors who fought for recognition. Women who gave their lives, suffered, broke barriers, knocked down walls, smashed glass ceilings, pried open doors, who defied patriarchy in some way for all of us. Still today as women are written into history, the struggle for our reckoning towards equality and respect continues. A must-read book that honours women; women who would not be silent.' - Dr Beatriz Copello'With impeccable research and deep empathy, Colleen Keating continues her powerful poetic contribution to feminist literature with the celebration of thirty-nine of the more than a thousand women forgotten, marginalised or written out of Western history. A remarkable and beautifully imagined work.' - Pip Griffin

A poet as beachcomber walks the beach, sometimes with pen and paper, gathering sights and sounds, shells and stones, scents and seagull scenes. Yet it is not always about the waves and wind, for the sea carries the stories of the world; how it connects and disconnects, how it gives and takes, reveals how we treat it. Humanity is always present in its deep moans and its dance of exaltation. When you listen, the ocean has much to say. Pick up Beachcomber and, like Jonathan Livingston Seagull, these poems will take you flying.

'With a meticulously researched, absorbing verse narrative, Colleen Keating brings Olive Muriel Pink's significant, neglected history to life with distinctive, beautiful imagery. In powerful lyrical stanzas, she tells the story of Olive's struggle for recognition as a female anthropologist, her lifelong work for the rights of the Warlpiri and Arrernte people she loved and lived among, and the creation of her arid garden. "High on a camel swaying to and fro / with a straight back and a broad smile / Olive rides into her future." Olive's persistence, her triumphs and her passion for justice make for uplifting and compelling reading.' - Pip Griffin'Olive Pink is one of Australia's unsung heroines. In this original and deeply moving biographical verse novel, Colleen Keating enables Olive Pink's experiences with Aboriginal people in Central Australia to emerge with sensitivity, intellectual curiosity, understanding and grace. It is a triumph for reconciliation and will surely enter the annals of Australian literature.' - Lyndall Ryan'A play, a dance, books, a proposed film, an opera and now a wonderful narrative poem by Colleen Keating. I wonder what Miss Pink would think about all this attention - her battles and passions appreciated at last!' - Gillian Ward'Olive Pink's life floats off the page - very much the character I've come to know and admire while translating her experience into music across this past decade. Colleen Keating gives us a seriously beautiful work based on research that brings Olive vividly to life. It is wonderful to see the astonishing story of this Australian woman Olive Pink, given the attention she so deserves. Such a visionary.' - Anne Boyd'An invaluable and powerful addition to the story of Australian women who lived their lives working for equality and social justice. A joy to read.' - Elizabeth Keating-Jones

'Hildegard of Bingen was a woman of extraordinary creative expression and this book approaches her wisdom through the gift of poetry which allows us to move into a more intuitive space. It is a book to slow us down, that invites us to ponder, and calls us to follow Hildegard towards a growing greenness in our lives.' - Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, REACE, Abbey of the Arts'Hildegard's life sings and dances across the pages of this engaging harmony of her works, set out in this poetic journey that commences at the twilight of her life and rewinds back through the lens of time. Hildegard's many gifts - including her charm - are expertly embedded. A very enjoyable and fascinating read.' - Dr Christine Cameron'Colleen Keating brings to this impressive collection some very fine, positively Hildegardian qualities - a robust earthiness, an inner strength, a passion for justice and a fiery light.' - Dr Mary O'Connell'What an oeuvre! What a superb and elaborate work! These nine books of poems by Australian poet Colleen Keating tell Hildegard's story in a stunning way. The reader feels put into the landscape and ambience of Hildegard's medieval cloistered world. Thus I highly recommend reading, tasting and meditating on this poetic journey with Hildegard of Bingen.' - Dr Annette Esser, Founder and President of the Scivias Institute for Art and Spirituality, Germany.

';The lyrical poems in this anthology invite reader participation and ongoing reflection on themes that are relevant to us all. They dig below the surface but remain accessible and vibrant. Love shines through, from marital to that conferred by grandparenting. It flows out to encompass the vexing and heartrending question of the homeless; those displaced by war and politics, and powerless to defend themselves. The challenges of advancing years are realistically addressed in terms of downsizing, and the sale of the family home and possessions treasured over decades; the need for re-evaluation of what matters most. Nature is celebrated and the small bright moments that each day can grant to those who pause and look around them. History moves into present tense, ';finds cracks lets the light shine in'.' -Beverley George';I have been reading Colleen Keating's poems for many years now and always with pleasure. Colleen has a distinctive Australian voice that combines sensitivity with clear, powerful free verse. Her images are both striking and profound. She has the ability to bring the natural world to life and is able to give a personality to a whole landscape. So her poems are imbued with a spirit of place for both the natural and man-made environments. These poems are both moving and wise, underpinned by a gentle spirituality from a woman's perspective.' - John Egan';Colleen Keating's second collection of poetry teases and tantalises. It explores the inexpressible with delightful moments of discovery. Colleen gives us a spirit of hope in a troubled world.' - Decima Wraxall