My Poem, ‘Her Amber Necklace’

March 29, 2026 ~ Libby Sommer ~ Leave a comment

amber stones that form the shape of a necklace

Have a read of my poem, ‘Her Amber Necklace’ first published in ‘The Thirteenth Floor’ XIV UTS Writers Anthology. The poem is part of my debut poetry collection ‘The Cellist, a Bellydancer & Other Distractions‘ (Ginninderra Press). Hope you enjoy it.

Her Amber Necklace:

my mothers dead

my mothers dead my brother said

he jumped in the air and

clicked his heels together

her children and grandchildren

and great grandchildren all came

jumping and bouncing

on forbidden chairs

we all laughed

now

distant lights scatter black night

a bus rumbles up Bondi Road

clock ticks in the empty kitchen

only the ticking

then

a dog barks outside

her woollen jumper warms me

her amber necklace hugs my neck

Nature Poetry

February 1, 2026February 1, 2026 ~ Libby Sommer ~ 6 Comments

I’m very happy to see 4 of my poems in “The Weekly Avocet” a Journal of Nature Poetry in the U.S. My poems “Attached”, “Are We”, “Black Birds” and “Amber Puppy” are in the winter issue #685 January 18, 2026. International publication. Woo hoo.

I love reading and writing poetry. I used to write mostly prose, but now I find poetry to be far more rewarding. Finding those small everyday moments and turning them into a poem. Very gratifying. What about you?

Happy Daze

January 15, 2026 ~ Libby Sommer ~ 11 Comments

I received this beautiful certificate from the Fellowship of Australian Writers Western Australia congratulating me on winning Commended in the 2025 Tom Collins Poetry Prize for my poem “Life Can”. Many thanks to Susan Cullen, President FAW WA.

“Life Can” is one of the pieces in my new collection “The Rub of Urban Life” to be published by Five Islands Press in 2027.

Happy daze.

My Poem “You & Me”

November 28, 2025 ~ Libby Sommer ~ 4 Comments

You & Me

Your silence

is a closed door.

Some people

would kiss a house full of frogs

rather than knock to come in.

When a parakeet sits quietly

twittering to himself

or grinding his beak,

he is happy and content.

A parakeet does not like

living alone though,

does not thrive if he is.

What about you?

Or could we move to

a different room,

one in which the door is left open,

perhaps?

Sydney’s Libby Sommer worked in film and TV production at ABC Television for some years prior to starting her own public relations business. Her poetry, short stories and non-fiction have appeared in literary journals and other publications in Australia and overseas. She is also the author of a number of poetry collections, and novels. More about Libby and her writing can be found at her website, and her appearance in last week’s Poet’s Corner can be read here.

Publication by 5 Islands Press

October 22, 2025October 22, 2025 ~ Libby Sommer ~ 9 Comments

I’m over-the-moon delighted that 5 Islands Press has selected my new manuscript titled “The Rub of Urban Life” for publication in 2026/2027.

“The Rub of Urban Life” is a collection of my poetry, poetic prose, and candid black & white street photographs. A blend of words and images.

A big thank you and much gratitude to publishers, Mark Tredinnick and Steve Meyrick.

Good News

October 6, 2025 ~ Libby Sommer ~ 8 Comments

Some very good news: I have a half page prose poem “You Remember” in this month’s October Quadrant Magazine. It’s always a big thrill to see my name up there. Thanks, as always, to Literary Editor Professor Barry Spurr.

My Poem, ‘Bewildered’

June 4, 2025 ~ Libby Sommer ~ Leave a comment

Have a read of my poem ‘Bewildered’, first published in Quadrant Magazine and one of the poems in my collection, ‘Flat White, One Sugar‘ (Ginninderra Press). The book is illustrated by my granddaughter, Natasha Sommer, a graduate of the National Art School.

I hope you enjoy it.

Bewildered:

When I was four

I asked my big brother

Is mum the wicked

queen from Snow White?

He fell about with laugher,

then wrestled me to the ground

using his knees to pin

my shoulders to the floor.

My brother, the bully.

But I loved him.

Years later, when our mother said she

had heart problems, my brother told her

it was impossible.

How can you? he said.

You don’t have a heart.

The questions still disturb me to this day.

Tactics

April 23, 2025 ~ Libby Sommer ~ 2 Comments

Have a read of my poem ‘Tactics’, first published in Quadrant Magazine. ‘Tactics’, inspired by my own struggles on the tennis court, is one of the poems in my latest poetry collection, ‘Flat White, One Sugar‘, Ginninderra Press.

I hope you enjoy it.

Tactics:

A woman is hitting back & forth

across the net, a peaked cap

secured by her ponytail.

Can she overcome the self-doubt,

anxiety & lapses of concentration?

She mustn’t let her mind

be the winner in this battle.

Right here, right now,

she’s in control,

even in the wind,

alternating her drives

to the far corners of the court.

Nothing distracts her,

not the noisy leaf blower

or her male opponent

with superior physical strength.

Tactics are her best weapon.

Now she is serving,

tossing the ball high,

straight as an arrow,

reaching up,

accelerating,

out wide

to his lefthanded backhand.

She ignores her cap

escaping with the wind

as she executes

a perfect follow through.

She smiles.

Ace! It’s an ace.

Do You Like Spiders?

February 15, 2025February 15, 2025 ~ Libby Sommer ~ 9 Comments

Have a read of my poem ‘Weavers’, first published in Quadrant Magazine. Let me know what you think. ‘Weavers’ is one of the pieces in my second poetry collection ‘Flat White, One Sugar’ (Ginninderra Press).

Weavers:

A well-hidden spider

created patterns

outside my office window

against the wooden frame.

I’d see the new progression

of her magnum opus

from my writing desk.

I’d be weaving plot entanglements

and she’d have shown off

her vision

to fast-moving days

as the year raced to its ending.

In the afternoons I’d be outside

hanging washing

picking up broken branches

watering herbs

and she’d have converted

moths and small flies into

sticky brown blobs.

A kookaburra laughed

from the clothesline.

Daily spider prompts helped drive me,

our compulsions to create on either

side of the glass.

One day the cleaner

sprayed the windows,

splattered and splashed,

with his power-hose.

By noon all surfaces

shone brightly.

Did the spider live?

Did she find a different hideout?

Her masterpiece is imprinted

on my brain:

its scaffolding

beginnings,

endings.

My Poem ‘What Could We Say?’

December 17, 2024 ~ Libby Sommer ~ Leave a comment

Have a read of my poem ‘What Could We Say?’ first published in Quadrant Magazine. It is one of the poems in my latest collection ‘Flat White, One Sugar‘ (Ginninderra Press).

I hope you enjoy it.

What Could We Say?:

Before dawn’s soft lightening,

rain stills itself on flat roofs

in pools of stagnant water.

Each morning we hear

a car speed up the hill

and dark recurring dreams

which tossed and turned

our restless selves, leave us

twisted in the sheets.

Now we start