This paper addresses long form poetry as non-fiction medium-specifically as biographical medium-discussing examples by writers such as Jordie Albiston, Susan Howe and Lyn Hejinian, to consider the diversity of ways in which poets are writing/documenting the lives of historical figures. My aim is to demonstrate how poetic biographies can extend our representations of these characters into new dimensions, using poetic play-the line, metaphor, frisson, juxtaposition, space and rhythm-to convey aspects of character and experience in innovative and exciting ways. I propose an extension of non-fiction writing into the poetic form as a way towards addressing historical inaccuracies and aporias, thus not only opening a space for the representation of marginal voices, but offering new frameworks for life writing.
History
Journal
Axon Journal
Issue
7
Start page
1
End page
15
Total pages
15
Publisher
University of Canberra * Faculty of Arts and Design