All the things you wanted to know
but couldn't get Smarty on the frigging phone
Steve Smart is a piece of graffiti written on a wall somewhere in Collingwood that is only entirely readable in the dark. He also a series of poems written in strange places, a picture of a monkey eating pie in a Chinese language textbook, an advocate of squash (the vegetable), silent partner in several imaginary businesses and a firm believer that a late apocalypse is still worth waiting for. When not busy being all of the above he is a poet from Melbourne, Australia with unruly hair.
With over a decade worth of experience on-stage at events and festivals around the country and overseas, Steve has become something of a cult (small ‘c’) figure with both poetry audiences and audiences who swear they usually hate poetry.
Among his fondest memories you'll find performing in Mouth Off at the Sydney Opera House, Poets Live in Auckland, La Mama Poetica in Melbourne and the lawn of the Quantong Backpackers in Victoria's Wimmerra region. Steve has released four independent CD's, numerous zines and chapbooks and has a collection of poetry due for release . . . oh sometime.
He was also the Director and co-founder of Melbourne's Overload Poetry Festival from 2002 to 2007. Upon retirement he was heard to mutter “6 years and never again” but he has fonder memories than he admits. **update** Steve is back as Director in 2012. Sucker!
Steve is sometimes torn between hIGH art and loooow art and is trying to achieve a healthy balance between. He has been writing since before he could write and maintains crushes on more poets than is good for him.
He also occasionally delves into acting, dodgy video making, script writing, Tupperware parties and various collaborative activities with musicians and other artists. He sometimes feels trapped and frightened by the life he has chosen but doesn't really know how to express these feelings except by writing poetry, which is what got him wherever he is in the first place so it's . . . he wants to say ironic but has a feeling it isn't quite that. Maybe it is irony after all. Let's say Steve is a fucking poet and leave it at that.
He is also currently working on a sit-com pilot and a rom-com screenplay as well as brushing off an old, unproduced play script.
With over a decade worth of experience on-stage at events and festivals around the country and overseas, Steve has become something of a cult (small ‘c’) figure with both poetry audiences and audiences who swear they usually hate poetry.
Among his fondest memories you'll find performing in Mouth Off at the Sydney Opera House, Poets Live in Auckland, La Mama Poetica in Melbourne and the lawn of the Quantong Backpackers in Victoria's Wimmerra region. Steve has released four independent CD's, numerous zines and chapbooks and has a collection of poetry due for release . . . oh sometime.
He was also the Director and co-founder of Melbourne's Overload Poetry Festival from 2002 to 2007. Upon retirement he was heard to mutter “6 years and never again” but he has fonder memories than he admits. **update** Steve is back as Director in 2012. Sucker!
Steve is sometimes torn between hIGH art and loooow art and is trying to achieve a healthy balance between. He has been writing since before he could write and maintains crushes on more poets than is good for him.
He also occasionally delves into acting, dodgy video making, script writing, Tupperware parties and various collaborative activities with musicians and other artists. He sometimes feels trapped and frightened by the life he has chosen but doesn't really know how to express these feelings except by writing poetry, which is what got him wherever he is in the first place so it's . . . he wants to say ironic but has a feeling it isn't quite that. Maybe it is irony after all. Let's say Steve is a fucking poet and leave it at that.
He is also currently working on a sit-com pilot and a rom-com screenplay as well as brushing off an old, unproduced play script.
