Philip Hodgins
Encyclopedia
Philip Ian Hodgins was a prize-winning Australia
n poet
whose work appeared in such major publications as The New Yorker
. Peter Rose
called him 'probably the most loved [Australian] poet of his generation', noting that 'his admirers ranged from... Alan Hollinghurst
to Ron Barassi
and Peter Porter
to Les Murray
'. Clive James
ventured that 'if he had lived as long as his admired Goethe, he would probably have been Goethe'.
Philip Hodgins was born in Shepparton, Victoria
, in 1959 and spent his childhood on his parents' dairy farm at nearby Katandra West. He went to school in Geelong and later moved to Melbourne
where he worked for several years with a publishing house, before moving to Maryborough
in central Victoria.
Hodgins' experience of farm life is strongly present through much of his poetry. His verse novella Dispossessed describes the last weeks of a poor rural family about to be evicted from their farm. Hodgins also wrote about Australian Rules football
.
In November 1983 Hodgins was admitted to hospital and diagnosed as having chronic myeloid leukaemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. His experiences as a leukaemia patient form the subject of much of his later work.
In 1990, Hodgins married the writer, Janet Shaw, with whom he had two children, Anna and Helen.
He was a co-founder of the Mildura Writers' Festival and the annual Philip Hodgins Memorial Medal is awarded each year, to a consistently outstanding Australian writer, in his memory.
Hodgins died in Maryborough on 18 August 1995. His papers, writing and correspondence are held in Australian Defence Force Academy Library in Canberra
.
A photograph of Philip Hodgins by A. T. Bolton (1926–1996) is in the National Library of Australia
online collection: Portrait of Philip
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
whose work appeared in such major publications as The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
. Peter Rose
Peter Rose (poet)
Peter Rose is an Australian poet, critic, novelist and editor. He belongs to a notable Collingwood Football Club family. His father, Bob Rose, was a famous player and coach. His brother, Robert Rose , played for Collingwood and opened the batting for Victoria before an accident left him a...
called him 'probably the most loved [Australian] poet of his generation', noting that 'his admirers ranged from... Alan Hollinghurst
Alan Hollinghurst
Alan Hollinghurst is a British novelist, and winner of the 2004 Man Booker Prize for The Line of Beauty.-Biography:Hollinghurst was born on 26 May 1954 in Stroud, Gloucestershire, the only child of James Hollinghurst, a bank manager, and his wife, Elizabeth...
to Ron Barassi
Ron Barassi
Ronald Dale Barassi, Jr AM is a former Australian rules football player and coach. During a long and decorated career, Barassi has been one of the most important figures in the history of Australian football. His father, Ron Barassi, Sr., was the first Australian footballer killed at Tobruk during...
and Peter Porter
Peter Porter (poet)
Peter Neville Frederick Porter, OAM was a British-based Australian poet.-Life:Porter was born in Brisbane, Australia, in 1929. His mother, Marion, died of a burst gall-bladder in 1938. He attended the Church of England Grammar School and left school at 18, and went to work as a trainee journalist...
to Les Murray
Les Murray (poet)
Leslie Allan Murray, AO , known as Les Murray, is an Australian poet, anthologist and critic. His career spans over forty years, and he has published nearly 30 volumes of poetry, as well as two verse novels and collections of his prose writings...
'. Clive James
Clive James
Clive James, AM is an Australian author, critic, broadcaster, poet and memoirist, best known for his autobiographical series Unreliable Memoirs, for his chat shows and documentaries on British television and for his prolific journalism...
ventured that 'if he had lived as long as his admired Goethe, he would probably have been Goethe'.
Philip Hodgins was born in Shepparton, Victoria
Shepparton, Victoria
Shepparton is a city located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River in the north east of Victoria, Australia approximately north-east of Melbourne. It is the fifth largest city in Victoria, Australia. The estimated population of Shepparton's statistical area is 48,926.It began as a sheep station...
, in 1959 and spent his childhood on his parents' dairy farm at nearby Katandra West. He went to school in Geelong and later moved to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
where he worked for several years with a publishing house, before moving to Maryborough
Maryborough, Victoria
-Education:Maryborough has three schools:*Highview Christian Community College*Maryborough Education Centre Years Prep–12*St Augustine's Primary School Grades Prep–6-Music:...
in central Victoria.
Hodgins' experience of farm life is strongly present through much of his poetry. His verse novella Dispossessed describes the last weeks of a poor rural family about to be evicted from their farm. Hodgins also wrote about Australian Rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
.
In November 1983 Hodgins was admitted to hospital and diagnosed as having chronic myeloid leukaemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. His experiences as a leukaemia patient form the subject of much of his later work.
In 1990, Hodgins married the writer, Janet Shaw, with whom he had two children, Anna and Helen.
He was a co-founder of the Mildura Writers' Festival and the annual Philip Hodgins Memorial Medal is awarded each year, to a consistently outstanding Australian writer, in his memory.
Hodgins died in Maryborough on 18 August 1995. His papers, writing and correspondence are held in Australian Defence Force Academy Library in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
A photograph of Philip Hodgins by A. T. Bolton (1926–1996) is in the National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
online collection: Portrait of Philip
Awards
- 1986 - Wesley Michael Wright Prize for Poetry
- Bicentennial Poetry Book Award
- 1987 - New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry for Blood and Bone
- 1988 - Grace Perry Memorial Award
- 1993 - Grace Leven Prize for PoetryGrace Leven Prize for PoetryThe Grace Leven Prize for Poetry is an annual award given in the name of Grace Leven who died in 1922. It was established by William Baylebridge who "made a provision for an annual poetry prize in memory of 'my benefactress Grace Leven' and for the publication of his own work"...
for The End of the Season - National Book Council Poetry Prize
- Prairie Schooner Readers Choice USA Award
- 1996 - National Book Council Turnbull Fox Phillips Poetry Prize
Publications
- Blood and Bone (1986)
- Down the Lake with Half a Chook (1988)
- Animal Warmth (1990)
- The End of the Season (1993)
- Up On All Fours (1993)
- Dispossessed (1994)
- Things Happen (1995)
- Selected Poems (1997)
External links
- Mildura Writer's Festival
- Recognising Clive James La Trobe University Bulletin September 2003 (Retrieved 5 August 2007)