Fight For Love

I really do.

I'm so sorry
the love letter I wrote you
was eaten by the sky.
I didn't know
the future
could eat that much.

Softly & Suddenly Reviewed.

My recently released album with The Interim Lovers, 'Softly & Suddenly' has just received a great review written by Tully Hansen and hosted on Page Seventeen's Blog.

Here's an excerpt...
"Softly and Suddenly is a charming tale, a bedtime story of sorts for the lovelorn and poetic. The sentiment which lingers after the last bars have died away is one of hopefulness, if not happiness – a sense that there may yet be a little wonder left in the world."

To read the whole review please visit Page Seventeen's Blog by clicking below.

Page Seventeen.

Launch of the EWF Reader

This Tuesday night I'm performing at the launch of the Reader.
What is the Reader?
I'll let them explain...

The Reader brings together ideas and insights into the craft, philosophy and politics of being a writer. It’s about writing and everything that comes with that: editing and publishing, motivation and distraction, the missed opportunities and the poetics of failure. With articles, essays, poems, fiction and artworks, The Reader blurs the lines between the creative and the critical, ultimately asking, what is it to be a writer?

The Reader is edited by the wonderful Aden Rolfe, who kindly asked me to be a part of it.

I have a piece in there on public speaking, which I shall be sharing with the room on Tuesday night.
Come along to Horse Horse Bazaar, 397 Little Lonsdale St, 6pm.

As Much.

As much as an owl can carry on its back.
As many books as a fox can learn to read.
As many spokes on a wheel.
We go on and on and on.
As much as our hearts can stand.

Softly & Suddenly at the Brisbane Festival

Sean M Whelan & The Interim Lovers played our first show of Softly & Suddenly at the Metro Arts Studio last night. The show went very well! Very happy with the venue, we were all so relieved to discover we wouldn't have to bump in and out every day and we could leave the stage setup as we're the only ones using the venue during that period.
We have three more shows of the festival to come and I have a feeling each one will get better and better. We're also heavily documenting this with two camera footage and desk recordings so hopefully you'll be able to view some of the show online before too long. Melbourne lauch details of Softly & Suddenly coming soon!

The Confession Files

Tonight as part of the Crime and Justice Literary Festival I will be performing in a show called The Confession Files. Some might recall I have done this show once before at La Mama under the steady directing hand of Kieran Carroll. But this is a little different, a changed lineup, Emilie Zoey Baker out, Michelle Dabrowski in. Also we have Andrew Watson writing and performing music with this one.

The Confession Files.
What does it feel like to witness a crime and not say something? How can you suddenly snap one day and hurt the person you love? How do you ruin everything you have desperately worked so hard to keep? Can there ever be absolution or atonement? Can there be true forgiveness?

A night of monologues, poetry, passion and lyrical confession of crimes.
288 Albert Street, Brunswick.
$10/$7.


Hope to see you there.

Performing at the Nuyorican Poetry Cafe tonight!

Very excited to announce that I'll be performing at New York's famous Nuyorican Poetry Cafe tonight.
I have read there once before, but it was a long time ago, way back in 2002 and I'm quite a different performer now.
Not sure what they'll make of me this time but i do know they always get big enthusiastic crowds so it should be a hoot.
If you're in NYC come on down. Show starts at 8.30.
Wish me luck!

You want me to do WHAT?

I'm one of the members of this panel at the Emerging Writers Festival today.

You want me to do WHAT?
So you’re published and now you’re expected to give readings, go on radio, appear in public, sign books and talk about your work. But you’re a WRITER! These writers talk about the promotional side to their work – tips they have picked up about speaking in public, how to perform your work well and the art of the soundbite.
With — Natasha Campo, Katherine Charles, Declan Fay and Sean M. Whelan. Hosted by Daniel Ducrou.

Yarra Room.
Melbourne Town Hall.
12.30pm.

Dog's Tails at the Dog's Bar Tonight!

Damn, I've been a little slack with this whole blogging thing lately.
Anyways.
Tonight I'm pretty excited about this gig. It's a reasonably new Storytelling weekly event in St Kilda. Curated by two wonderful peeps by the names of Chris Flynn and Josephine Rowe.
Also reading with me will be Chloe Jackson-Wilmott.
54 Acland Street, St Kilda.
8pm
Free Entry!
This gig had a profile piece in The Age this week so I reckon it will be a full house, so be early if you want to get in!

Sean M Whelan & the Interim Lovers gig tonight!

As part of their April residency the lovely Genevieve & Jezebel have kindly invited us to support them.
Also appearing are Sainthill.
We'll be performing Softly & Suddenly in full. A poetry and music response to Lewis Carroll's 'Hunting of the Snark.'

Read You Bastards IV

I'm performing tonight at a wonderful event called Read You Bastards. It's at the Empress Hotel in North Fitzroy.
Here's their blurb on it below. Be great to see you there. (please disregard my misspelt surname in the poster.)

Part six of Read You Bastards, our April edition, delivers guest readers: Michaela McGuire (Apply Within, The Age) and Sean M Whelan (Tattooing the Surface of the Moon). Erik Hecht (Insititut Polaire) will sing your little socks off too.

As always we are open mike, so bring your delicious dishes of poetry, short fiction and non fiction to read to us bastards.

The mike is yours for up to four minutes, in between you might enjoy our saucy second hand door prizes, beer and tantalising bar food.

So please, come read, you bastards.

Candy & High

My visual 'poem' contributed to the G.P.S. site (that's Global Poetry System) has been chosen as a feature poem. I really dig this concept of uploading poetry wherever you may find it.
Check it out here http://gps.southbankcentre.co.uk/poems/972/one_thing_leads_to_another
And contribute something yourself. Melbourne is under-represented! (Especially for a City of Literature.)

Babble returns to Bar Open