Proud to be Poesy: "Science admits all"

From the Halls of Oxford to the beach of Byron Bay...

International Water Day 2012 is 22 March, a moment to ponder more than weather.

The Brisbane platform Water-Wheel.net is hosting an online international symposium on water. The opening address is by Riccardo Petrella, the author of "The Water Manifesto".

Among the two days of presentations, all free and available for everyone, are works by both science and arts workers. The range is astonishing. From Lubijana, Ulay with his Earthwatercatalougue.net. From Sousse, Rejeb explaining how trees manage water better than humans. From Madrid, the giant underground stormwater facility pictured by Skipp with a giant three screen video art installation. From Australia, the Yeomans Keyline Water management system.  The full programme is online. (I am thrilled to say I am part of this programme too, telling a Sea Story about marine light, currents and fossil fuel expansion works at 9.45 pm Byron NSW)

Arts and Science come together. And many unexpected people are coming together for this. Visit this project from Oxford University, about freshwater, with haiku and animation. Here in Byron Bay, the poetry group Dangerously Poetic launched their 10th anthology. The volume is dedicated to exploring Nature, its inspirations and mysteries. (Copies available through their website.)

Speaking at the launch, I invited people to use art and science, come and meet an aspect of nature at the display table where rested a nautilus shell and a hand mirror. Hold each one, looking from mirror to shell, from self to sea, modeling an encounter suggested by a recent painting by James Guppy.

Some of the bits of poetry written down at the table are below. And below that -- go on. Use the comments section and add some words of your own.

"sea food pizza"

"I'm telling you it's real. there is no wire."

"Two ancients face to face living existing being"

"'Naut' can be found here that I haven't seen already,'Naut' can be found here that I will ever truly know."

"I to I"