Vale Les Murray: David McCooey & Lyn McCredden Pay Tribute

Following the death of iconic Australian poet Les Murray, two Faculty members reflected on his legacy. Professor David McCooey wrote a piece for The Conversation, and was also interviewed about Murray and his work by ABC Radio and 2SER FM.

“His signature style was a potent mix of ordinary language, specialist vocabulary, and eccentric syntax,” writes McCooey. “His poetry cannot be mistaken for anyone else’s.”

Associate Professor Lyn McCredden, Head of the Writing and Literature Group, was interviewed by ABC 24, Fairfax media, and Radio National’s Religion and Ethics Report about Murray and his work.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Lyn said, “When you read poetry, you’re made to read something that goes beyond your own belief system. And I think it’s really important to do that…  [Murray’s poetry] lifts us into a different space where we can hear an otherness beyond ourselves.”

 

*Featured image of ‘Les Murray und Margitt Lehbert im Lyrikkabinett München 2014’, licensed under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.