Irises: The University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor's International Poetry Prize 2017

In this, the fourth year of the University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor’s International Poetry Prize, I am delighted to see that so many poets from around the world continue to enter the prize, representing so many diverse countries and so many different perspectives. Poetry has always been a significant part of my life, and to read such a fine and varied longlist of works reminds me how poetry continues to speak eloquently for our times and ourselves. Poetry not only addresses the experiences of individuals and their personal relationships, but it also reaches deeply into the lives of readers. Many poems echo down the years, becoming a key way of understanding culture and history. For instance, if one wants a deep appreciation of Australia, India or the USA, key texts consist of the poetry of those countries.