Founder’s new leaf

By Judy Wolff
AFTER seven years of nurturing Belgrave’s first regular spoken word venue, Marian Spires is handing over the Word Tree to two new poet facilitators.
The event showcases language and performance whereby anyone reads or performs for five minutes to a local audience.
Each monthly session features an accomplished poet or short fiction writer.
Ms Spires founded the event on the request of Oska Hunter then of Ruby’s and held early sessions in Ruby’s downstairs library, aptly named Noises From the Basement.
“At the time there was nothing in the hills like it,” she said.
Several venue and name changes later, it attracts a strong audience under the current name The Word Tree, in Burrinja Café, Upwey.
Ms Spires said the event has launched many writing careers including three Woorilla Poets of the Dandenongs and countless others who have overcome performance fears.
Over time the sessions were starting to dominate her busy life as mother and teacher and she was keen to step back.
“Everything has its rhythm and pace,” she said.
She found an enthusiastic duo in Leanne Hills and Catherine Bateson.
Ms Hills, having been nurtured by The Word Tree and other local writing groups, has recently gained her first book contract.
She sees the venue as a major contribution to hills culture.
“It brings together accomplished and new writers from all over Melbourne and has become an institution,” she said.
Ms Hills is also one of the founders of the Committee of Melbourne’s Moving Galleries, a scheme that places poetry in suburban trains.
Recent Belgrave resident Catherine Bateson is not new to poetry, having run La Mama’s Poetica in Carlton for 10 years in the ‘90s.
An accomplished author, she has won the Children’s Book Council Book of the Year award for her young adult and junior novels, some of which are in verse.
She is enthusiastic about her new role in The Word Tree.
“It’s important to give back to the community, as I was encouraged as a young poet,” she said.
The Word Tree will re-commence on Saturday 1 March at 3pm in Burrinja Café, Upwey.
Inquiries to 9754 1363.