My Poem ‘Jogger At My Heels’

October 8, 2026October 8, 2026 ~ Libby Sommer ~ 4 Comments

Have a read of my poem ‘Jogger At My Heels’ first published in The Canberra Times.

‘Jogger at My Heels’ is one of the poems in my second poetry collection, Flat White, One Sugar, published by Ginninderra Press: 51 poems by me, 21 illustrations by my granddaughter, Natasha Sommer, a graduate of The National Art School.

I hope you enjoy this poem.

Jogger At My Heels:

Each morning he races up the steep

steps of the gully and then down again

on the path I take

to buy my daily newspaper.

I recognise his exhalations just behind

and apologetic grimace running back,

urging me to move aside

to let him through,

but today I understand him

more fully than before.

Hearing my own heavy breathing

as I walk up the gigantic slope

I’m sure he’d like to say, Don’t rush

don’t rush.

… but he’s in too much of a hurry.

Copyright 2024 Libby Sommer

Photo by Nathan Cowley on Pexels.com

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.