Change Machine

Tough and alert, Savige’ s shapeshifting poems reflect the world in violent transformation. Bodies scarred by history collide in the ruckus of generations, geopolitics and technology. Elegies appear alongside poems that set a pulse to new life, biometric surveillance, leaf blowers, fatbergs, mechanical pets and military coups. A work of fiercely intelligent artistry, Change Machine is shaped, equally, by feeling – its wild originality comes from how it forces the two together.

Jaya Savige was born in Sydney, raised on Bribie Island, and lives in London. He is the author of Latecomers (UQP, 2005), winner of the New South Wales Premier’ s Prize for Poetry and was highly commended for the ASAL Mary Gilmore Award, and Surface to Air (UQP, 2011), which was shortlisted for The Age Poetry Book of the Year and the Western Australian Premier’ s Book Award for Poetry. He read for a PhD on James Joyce at the University of Cambridge (Christ’ s) as a Gates Scholar.

Mean Time Between Failures ROTFLMAOWTRDMF 3 The Endeavour 4 The Cobra of Djemma el Fna 5 Give It a Rest, Mr Fowler 6 Rimbaud in Salatiga 7 Fiona in Victoria Says 8 I was Driving North to Woombye 9 Toodaloo 10 Yuki’ s Replacement 11 Whatever the Question, the Cordless 12 Elephant in a Time of Unrest 13 Starstruck 14 Mirrigin 15 The Nothing 16 ?????? E´ tudes 18 The Roses of Heliogabalus 19 Citicity 20 Work Do 21 The Monster of Whitechapel 22 Change Machine 23 A Nice Derangement of Epitaphs 24 Unicornered 25 You Hear It Said 26 Uncle Robin 27 Plunder (Business as Usual) 28 Inferno 29 The Keeper 30 Infant Speech Bubble 31 The Offing 32 Biometrics The Convict Lying Low by Hampton Court, Speaks 39 Her Late Hand 41 Credo, Dé cor, Coder 42 Magnifera 47 Intel Fresco 49 1. Biometrics 49 2. Flight Path 51 3. Bouncer 52 4. Remembrance Day 2017 52 Carousel 54 Hard Water Tristan’ s Ascension 57 Hossegor 60 Hard Water 62 The Longman– Dickson Axis 66 Ladybugs 67 Mister Michelin 68 Tips for Managing Subsidence 70 Bach to the Fuchsia 72 There There Fort Dada 77 Spork 78 Magic Hour, L. A. 81 Stagger Lee at Her Majesty’ s 82 Surveying What Adheres 84 Force Majeure 86 Wingsuit Lessons 87 On Not Getting My Spray Can Signed by Mr Brainwash 90 Below the Line 92 Coloratura 94 References 95 Crookneck 96 Coonowrin 97 Cinemetabolic 98 Notes 101 Acknowledgements 107