Nocturnal House (ePub)

'To read Mike Greenacre's poems is to be captivated in an engaging conversation about family, friends, Perth past and present, love, loss, memories and the maddening and intoxicating pursuit of poetry itself. Affection, love, passion infuse the whole of Nocturnal House by Mike Greenacre, as places, people, memories are called forth and shared with careful artistry and haunting nuances. Poetry is linked very tightly and movingly with life, with lived experience, in these arresting and beautiful poems.' - Shane McCauley

'If you would delight in a meal with good friends sharing poetic word play and glasses of pale ale and cider, then Mike Greenacre's Nocturnal House is a must. In his straightforward egalitarian way, he uses a remarkably accessible clear-cut diction that is spiced with wit and subtle shifts of ambiguous vocabulary that develop his desire for the "good" community. To do this, he explores his neighbourhood, which he feels is a "pot slowly boiling" with its many aspects that are common to us all. In skilfully constructed sections, he shows his great and constant love of creative writing, family, friends, teaching. poetry, music. art, wholesome sex and sport. Over all these areas is the constant factor of Love and as such they certainly bond together towards community building in a morally ethical and egalitarian way. In short, the book has something for every one of us, so come to a meal with Mike.' - Peter Jeffery OAM

'Master of the extended metaphor, recollections and reconnection are welcomed by-products of Mike Greenacre's writing process. From 'Trapped in Language' - writing poems is like wagging school, escaping from life's / curriculum to reflect like a rear-vision mirror / anticipating what's already been. The nostalgia has a sweet edge, the acknowledgements to friends are always sincere and the style is unpretentious (folksy almost). Family is celebrated with a warm heart ('The Shape of Love' and 'Recipe of Love' sections). The reader learns that the suburb of Applecross, and south-of-the-river Perth more generally were fun places to be for a harmless scallywag like the youthful Mike Greenacre. What's most important at the core of this poetry book, however, is the poet's recognition of how much writing means to him' - Ross Jackson

'The elegance of simplicity informs these poems, with nostalgia, family and love their prevalent themes. Suffused with the joy of writing, Greenacre's work is easy to relate to and always accessible. Sometimes tinged with the colours of loss but more often celebratory in tone, this collection is as wholesome and honest as homemade bread.' - Jan Napier