Terry McArthur

Updated: Sat, 26 Feb 2022 05:18 am

terrymcarthur.online

Biography
Samples
PUBLICATIONS, PLAYS
Blog
Favourites

Biography

Poems are marks upon the memory the lifting of veils the unexpected moment of illumination. An alphabet of dreams waking to the language of the heart. My inside out. -Terry McArthur Terry McArthur is an Australia spoken word poet. He is the author of three books of poetry, five plays and over three hundred songs. Terry is the recipient of an Australia Council Literary Board Writers Assistance Grant, ARIA AMCOS Independent Country Single of the Year for Postcards from Saigon, Finalist CMAA Golden Guitar Song and Single of the Year, RAM Music Journalist of the Year, Finnish Radio Plate Award for Best Album of The Year to Ninni and Mika for All Them Pretty Things ( Terry was lyricist), PRIA ACT Award for Best Community Campaign for The Anthem Project, Finalist John Lennon International Songwriting Competition, Finalist ISC Best Social Cause Song. Terry has just released Mr President (No Fake News) the first song from The Space Between, a spoken word music | book | multimedia project.

Samples

SOUNDING OUT THE SILENCE I am the silence within the silence. I am the self-struck sound Listen for me I am between each breath beyond the song of life and death. Listen for me I am beyond the seasons of the heart I am the four winds blowing The footprints of our coming and going. I am here within the silence. I am always here. © Sounding Out The Silence. Terry McArthur. Blue Pearl Music. THE ORIGIN OF SILENCE He ran like a primitive animal | through the dark wind He ran like an ancient prophecy | sparked by the howling Of the seasons. Those who pursued him | knew nothing of his arts They did not see him sewn into the four winds | no matter How loud he sang | no matter what he whispered In this time of virus and plague | true hunger shows its teeth | a fierce breaking | a shaking | and a flailing A swooning and a sweating | a cruel fever falling And all about the wailing | all about songs of lamentation. But he did not pause to listen| he had no time for mourning He plucked the stars from the sky | placing them one by one in the constellation of his heart | and then | and only then rested in that eternal country | once again dreaming himself into the valleys of his soul | as the noise and calamities of the world were subsumed by the perfect silence. The sun and moon were above and within | and he was done with running the power of love was with him | and every heart that hears him within the beating of their own | carries the gift of silence | through the labyrinth of their days. © The Origin of Silence. Terry McArthur. Blue Pearl Music. DOWN IN WONDERLAND The tyrants’ tweet, they lie and cheat, casting spells of deep deceit Selling delusion, fear and confusion, until the illusion is totally complete. You log on one morning to a red flag warning your way of life is banned That’s how they do it behind closed doors down here in wonderland. Streamers, schemers and day dreamers, the little girls still understand Rockers and rappers mugged by kidnappers, it’s the law of supply and demand. Who stole the show? Who does the blow? Who gets to be the next big band? Here’s the thing the data kings wear all the bling down here in wonderland. This is tinderbox country, towns with no water, bushfire heading your way Encircled by flames someone calls you by name asking is it too late to pray. The joker is smoking the thief has spoken but the laughter is already canned Everyone thinks they can still rule the world down here in wonderland. The darkness you fear is always here in the broken part of your heart Go to it now with words that somehow give you the strength to start. Beware of soothsayers, cults and dooms-dayers holding out their hand Everyone swears they have seen the light down here in wonderland. Paedophile preachers disguised as God’s teachers spreading the holy word The voices of beauty crushed in the rush to be Queen of the Seen and Heard. Owners with boners, fossil fuel donors slinging a quick hundred grand Everyone is in love with the smell of money down here in wonderland. Medicated sedated then finally cremated for the crime of growing old May the outlaw in you see right through all the lies you have been told Suckers, fuckers and wish you good luckers, it’s all a part of the scam They mug you they drug you then they hug you down here in wonderland. © Down in Wonderland. Terry McArthur. Blue Pearl Music.

PUBLICATIONS, PLAYS

BOOKS & BROADSHEETS Upland (New England University Press) with Wayne Von Nida and Arthur Chaffey The Exiles ( Fat Possum Press) Holes In The Evening (Fat Possum Press) - anthology edited by Michael Sharkey Walking Skin (Well Versed Press) The Tin Wash Dish (ABC Books) - anthology edited by John Trantner Poetry With No Borders (Mascara) - anthology ONLINE | JOURNALS New England Review Blue Pepper Stylus Thylazine Numbat Going Down Swinging Mascara PLAYS Flowers Thunder Earth & Sky Country of Tears The Operation The Bearded Lady's Daughters Naratic Vision

All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.