Anthony Lawrence is one of Australia's most highly-regarded poets and winner of two of the country's most prestigious poetry prizes. He characteristically sets his poems within powerful landscapes and seascapes. There is a dramatic confrontation in them, between the elemental forces of nature, and those within the consciousness of his characters. His focus is on relationships, the rhythms of work, and the presence of danger in these primal settings.
In an interview, Lawrence says of his work: "I'd like to think that a couple of my poems achieve this tricky balance: landscape veined with humanity, flora, fauna, what's imagined and what's experienced ... I write about nature to define my life."
Strategies for Confronting Fear, a selection from six of his nine published collections of poetry plus a body of new work, is Lawrence's first volume of poetry to be published in the UK.
"Lawrence's work is accessible while still retaining the integrity of a unique poetic vision." Australian Book Review
ANTHONY LAWRENCE was born in 1957 and left school at 16, working first as a jackeroo and then travelling for several years before returning to New South Wales to become a teacher and writer. While working as a fisherman in Western Australia, he secured a literary fellowship which enabled him to devote time to writing poetry. He has won numerous awards for his poetry, including a Senior Fellowship from the Australia Council, one of the most prestigious funding awards a writer can be accorded in Australia.