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THE ANNUAL FICTION EDITION Edited by Julianne Schultz Griffithreview34 Griffith 34 A quARTeRly oF wRiT inG & ideAs The AnnuAl GriffithReview34 The annual Fiction edition FicTion Claire aMan Mrs Dogwether’s bird moment ediTion roMy asH underwater e •the Re z ri g p r Tony BirCH The lovers ’ i s f f r i t GeorGia Blain enlarged + heart + child e h t i r KaTHleen BleaKley islands r v e w v i g e sally Breen sunny lodge w n i g e r m BarBara BrooKs searching for Monty ie e W H CHonG an abstract art CraiG CliFF offshore service w Dianne D’alpoiM archipelago Georgia Blain aMy espeseTH Free lunch 34 Craig Cliff asHley Hay elsie’s house ashley Hay Xavier HenneKinne The new capital Xavier Hennekinne KaTe laHey The big one-eyed dork Annual Fiction The Benjamin law BenJaMin laW post-nuclear Melissa lucashenko Maya linDen Forgetting Favel parrett niColas loW octopus Melissa luCasHenKo Friday night at the nudgel Chris Womersley MarGareT Merrilees sighting rottnest and more raCHael s MorGan Tryst Favel parreTT no man is an island JosepHine roWe The tank Julianne sCHulTz Time to don the bat wings THoMas sHapCoTT His grandfather Cory Taylor Continental drift elena WilliaMs Finding a florist in lidcombe Jane WilliaMs a matter of instinct CHris WoMersley The middle of nowhere e dition picTuRe GAlleRy MirDiDinGKinGaTHi JuWarnDa sally GaBori Girt by water www.griffithreview.com online-only essays from laurie Brinklow, Barbara Brooks, Jay Griffiths, pat Hoffie, ournal Mette Jakobsen and Miriam zolin J erly erly T ‘as engaging as it is prescient.’ Weekend Australian Cover image by Jennifer Mills. Jennifer image by Cover WH Chong/Text. Design by quar GR34_cover_FINAL.indd 1 26/09/11 3:26 PM Praise for Griffith REVIEW ‘This is a small literary magazine that amazingly – it is now in its eighth year – keeps getting better.’ Sydney Morning Herald ‘An always vibrant mix of creative writing, essays, photography and ideas, Griffith REVIEW has gone from strength to strength.’ Adelaide Review ‘Griffith REVIEW represents “the long game” in journalism, providing quality analysis in an age of diminishing journalistic integrity.’ Walkley Magazine ‘Griffith REVIEW is a wonderful journal. It’s pretty much setting the agenda in Australia and fighting way above its weight…You’re mad if you don’t subscribe.’ Phillip Adams ‘Once again, Griffith REVIEW has produced a stunning volume of excellent work. The pieces are diverse, the stories unique and real. But one thing remains constant – superb writing.’ Weekend Herald (NZ) ‘Griffith REVIEW brings together thought-provoking and articulate essays, outstanding memoir and creative work concerned with finding ways to address the complexity and urgency of twenty- first century problems.’ West Australian ‘Griffith REVIEW is the best literary journal in the country. Editor Julianne Schultz attracts writing of superior craftsmanship, intellectual and creative depth. If you care about writing, this is compulsory reading.’ The Age SIR SAMUEL GRIFFITH was one of Australia’s great early achievers. Twice the premier of Queensland, that state’s chief justice and the author of its criminal code, he was best known for his pivotal role in drafting agreements that led to Federation, and as the new nation’s first chief justice. He was also an important reformer and legislator, a practical and cautious man of words. Griffith died in 1920 and is now best remembered in his namesakes: an electorate, a society, a suburb and a university. Ninety-six years after he first proposed establishing a university in Brisbane, Griffith University, the city’s second, was created. His commitment to public debate and ideas, his delight in words and art, and his attachment to active citizenship are recognised by the publication that bears his name. Like Sir Samuel Griffith, Griffith REVIEW is iconoclastic and non-partisan, with a sceptical eye and a pragmatically reforming heart and a commitment to public discussion. Personal, political and unpredictable, it is Australia’s best conversation. GriffithREVIEW34 THE ANNUAL FICTION EDITION Edited by Julianne Schultz GriffithREVIEW34 INTRODUCTION 9 Time to don the bat wings JULIANNE SCHULTZ: Fly a little, imagine a lot FICTION 13 Offshore service CRAIG CLIFF 26 The tank JOSEPHINE ROWE 30 A matter of instinct JANE WILLIAMS 34 Mrs Dogwether’s bird moment CLAIRE AMAN 39 Friday night at the Nudgel MELISSA LUCASHENKO 47 Octopus NICOLAS LOW 59 Continental drift CORY TAYLOR 65 Enlarged + heart + child GEORGIA BLAIN 72 No man is an island FAVEL PARRETT 74 Tryst RACHAEL S MORGAN 85 Free lunch AMY ESPESETH 96 Elsie’s house ASHLEY HAY 111 Underwater ROMY ASH 116 The lovers TONY BIRCH 121 The new capital XAVIER HENNEKINNE 139 Searching for Monty BARBARA BROOKS 145 The big one-eyed dork KATE LAHEY 154 Forgetting MAYA LINDEN 158 Sunny Lodge SALLY BREEN 166 The middle of nowhere CHRIS WOMERSLEY MEMOIR 80 Finding a florist in Lidcombe ELENA WILLIAMS: Honouring the dead 101 Archipelago DIANNE D’ALPOIM: Other islands, other seas 149 Post-nuclear BENJAMIN LAW: Surviving the family Christmas POETRY 54 His grandfather THOMAS SHAPCOTT 55 Sighting Rottnest MARGARET MERRILEES 64 Islands KATHLEEN BLEAKLEY 138 An abstract art WH CHONG www.griffithreview.com The proliferation of island studies LAURIE BRINKALOW On the Colonial Verandah BARBARA BROOKS Masks of fiction: love letter from a stray moon JAY GRIFFITHS A bay of islands PAT HOFFIE The island METTE JAKOBSEN The dog of fiction and the wolf of memory MIRIAM ZOLIN COVER IMAGE: Visual distraction, 2008 by Jennifer Mills 52 x 52 cm, watercolor, ink and oil pastel on paper Courtesy the artist and Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney Griffith REVIEW gratefully acknowledges the support and ongoing generosity of our founding patron Margaret Mittelheuser. GriffithREVIEW34 SUMMER 2011 GriffithREVIEW is published four times a year by Griffith University in conjunction with Text Publishing. eISSN 1839-2954 Publisher Marilyn McMeniman AM Editor Julianne Schultz AM Deputy Editor Erica Sontheimer Picture Editor & Production Manager Paul Thwaites Associate Editor David Winter, Text Publishing Publication & WH Chong & Cover Design Susan Miller, Text Publishing Text Publishing Michael Heyward, Kirsty Wilson, Megan Quinlan Proofreader Alan Vaarwerk Editorial Interns Harry Brumpton, Coco McGrath, Oliver Wykeham Administration Andrea Huynh Typesetting Midland Typesetters Printing Ligare Book Printers Distribution Penguin Australia Contributions by academics can, on request, be refereed by our Editorial Board. Details: www.griffithreview.com GRIFFITH REVIEW South Bank Campus, Griffith University PO Box 3370, South Brisbane QLD 4101 Australia Ph +617 3735 3071 Fax +617 3735 3272 [email protected] www.griffithreview.com TEXT PUBLISHING Swann House, 22 William St, Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia Ph +613 8610 4500 Fax +613 9629 8621 [email protected] www.textpublishing.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS Within Australia: 1 year (4 editions) $111.80 RRP, inc. P&H and GST Outside Australia: 1 year (4 editions) A$161.80 RRP, inc. P&H Institutional and bulk rates available on application. COPYRIGHT The copyright of all material published in Griffith REVIEW and on its website remains the property of the author, artist or photographer, and is subject to copyright laws. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. ||| Opinions published in Griffith REVIEW are not necessarily those of the Publisher, Editor, Griffith University or Text Publishing. FEEDBACK AND COMMENT www.griffithreview.com ADVERTISING Each issue of Griffith REVIEW has a circulation of at least 4,000 copies. Full-page adverts are available to selected advertisers. To book your advert, in the first instance please email Griffith REVIEW: [email protected] This project has This project has received financial been assisted by assistance from the Australian the Queensland Government through Government the Australia Council, throught Arts its principal arts Queensland funding and advisory body. Subscribe to Griffith REVIEW Discover the best Australian and international writers and thinkers as they tease out the complexities of the issues that matter the most. Each themed edition presents timely and elegant new essays, reportage, memoir, fiction and poetry from a range of established and emerging authors who make Griffith REVIEW the premier Australian quarterly of ideas. Chose from a range of subscription packages, including Digital, Print or Premium (digital+print) Subscriptions. Or treat yourself to the value-packed Super Subscription and receive four editions of Griffith REVIEW plus four advance copies of the most interesting titles from Text Publishing throughout the year. Subscribe at www.griffithreview.com with the promo code UBS2011 to save at least 20% off the retail price. ‘It cannot be said often enough: Griffith REVIEW is the best literary journal in the country ... Each essay and memoir is like a great meal. It fills the reader with thoughts and leaves them deeply satisfied.’ – Sydney Morning Herald ‘It’s a cracker, a reminder of how satisfying on ever level good quality non-fiction can be.’ – New Zealand Herald INTRODUCTION Time to don the bat wings Fly a little, imagine a lot Julianne Schultz THE!"#$%"&'()*+"!,$%"-*&!./+!,0%")%-$1!/+!)"!+"/*"$1!2!3)""$*&!/%1!-%,$*"/)%4!5+!".$! ,0-%"10#%! "0! ".$! %$#! ,$%"-*&! 6$7/%! +08$! #0**)$1! 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