Janne D Graham corralled a compatible group of women because she wanted help and support in her newish venture of poetry writing. It worked. The various outlooks and values, different knowledge bases, to say nothing of personalities, have provided a supportive environment for her writing.

Amelia Fielden composes mainly in traditional Japanese forms such as tanka but is interested in all genres of poetry. She finds that the reading and workshopping of her peers’ writings at The Moorings’ meetings provide very effective stimuli for her own creativity.

Julia Irwin was well-known in the busy poetry circles of eighties Canberra, publishing and performing. Back in Canberra, less active and shorter of sight, a chance meeting with a distant relative led her to The Moorings. There, her love of words lay in wait for her, coupled with a growing interest in the beauty of small things closely observed.

Neva Kastelic has learned a lot from her fellow Moorings poets, including to not start her reading of a new poem with an apology. If there is a theme to her poems it is this: ‘what’s it all about, Alfie?’ Her poetic goal is to write a perfectly formed sonnet. Maybe not today.

Meryl Turner had begun to write poetry again when she was invited to join The Moorings. This group has enabled her in many ways but particularly to experiment with the matching of poetic form to ideas and words.