That Poetry Thing: Kai Jensen + Deborah Dawkings

On Monday 21 July, That Poetry Thing will feature two poets, one from the South Coast and one from Canberra - plus our ever-popular open mic!

Kai Jensen was born in Philadelphia, as a child emigrated to New Zealand with his family, and is now an Australian. Kai lives and writes on Yuin country at Wallaga Lake on the Far South Coast of New South Wales. His poems have appeared in most leading Australasian literary journals and, in North America, in The Fictional Café, Hole in the Head Review, The Inquisitive Eater, Men Matters Online, New Verse News, Oddball Magazine, Poetry Pacific and Rattle. Kai’s first book of poetry, The Zebra Path of Tree Light, was published by 5 Islands Press in April 2025.

Deborah Dawkings is a Canberra poet, working on her first collection. She writes mostly about family, the female gaze and the uncanny. A number of her poems have been published by The Canberra Times and Cordite. She was shortlisted for the 2023 Australian Catholic University prize and the 2025 Calanthe prize.

Sign up on the night for the open mic - up to three minutes per poet.

Also check out other Arts events in Canberra, Literary Art events in Canberra.