One of the more delightful aspects of running a national literary competition is coming across new and talented writers. Among the hundreds of entries received, there is very occasionally one that stands out and announces that here is a talent that needs to be watched. This point of recognition is hard to define; it is akin to the tingle that comes with finding a beautiful new shell on a windswept beach. Michael Dom's poetry came to us in this way. His was an evolving talent that was constrained by opportunity and unease ...
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One of the more delightful aspects of running a national literary competition is coming across new and talented writers. Among the hundreds of entries received, there is very occasionally one that stands out and announces that here is a talent that needs to be watched. This point of recognition is hard to define; it is akin to the tingle that comes with finding a beautiful new shell on a windswept beach. Michael Dom's poetry came to us in this way. His was an evolving talent that was constrained by opportunity and unease about recognition in a society that can attach political meaning to creative writing. We watched Michael for a year or so as his writing got bolder and more refined. A significant milestone was when he decided to drop the protective 'Icarus' pseudonym. By that stage he was a committed poet with no fear of losing his feathers to the sun. Watching him experimenting with styles and technique - including those with their cultural roots other than in the Western idiom - became a fascinating pastime for both of us. By the time judging started in 2012, the second year of the Crocodile Prize, Michael was well established as an important poet. That he won the Poetry Award that year was no great surprise. His poetry has now evolved to a point where we would both be wary about making judgments' about it. Rather, we defer to his expertise. In this second volume of work we think you will agree with us that he displays a mature and confident talent that has a boundless future. In our estimation, Papua New Guinea can rightfully claim that it has produced a world-class poet.
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