Martin Christmas

D&M Between 2 Men began its life in January 2018 when Andrew contacted Martin who was hospitalised after a fall, and the question popped in his mind, 'As men, why don't we talk about the moments we are struggling' He suggested writing a co-operative poetry chapbook together. Martin agreed and that was the beginning of a deep and meaningful poetry conversation between the two men. The chapbook soon became a full-length poetry book as the questions (and some answers) began to surface. Over several months, Andrew and Martin wrote their poetry via e-mails, Messenger texts, and even the occasional face to face cafe meet up. What began as poems prompted by keywords, such as nightmares, masculinity, femininity, emotions, fears, love and hate, evolved into deeper and more meaningful conversations. D&M Between 2 Men is a collection of personal and vulnerable stories in poem format, that examines some of the issues on the minds of these two younger and older poets. What was Andrew's goal? To produce a poetry book that was an insightful read and that, itself, would create real conversations between us all. Ideas and concepts that we seldom express publicly, blocked by fears or stigma. By having two grown men truly open up, it could help others to realise that they are not alone, and that their stories could also find the light of day. Pandora's box has been opened. Some of the questions posed are answered. Some are heavy. Some are lighter. All are written with a caring touch. An intense experiment. A truthful d&m between two men.

'In Random Adventures, Martin Christmas brings an acute and sympathetic observer's eye to visual details in a scene. This is not unexpected given his keen skills as a photographer. The familiar is frequently conjured for the reader in a surprising way, offering an understanding of aspects of the world that we might otherwise take for granted.Christmas moves easily between three key subject areas: human interaction, the built environment (houses, walls, streets and industrial monoliths, for instance), and the backdrop of a natural world that seems increasingly threatened. The human dimension proves particularly rich ground for his poetry. Christmas highlights significant disparities in wealth and social capital among us, with a focus on such people as the disenfranchised poor forced to collect recyclable cans, a frail and elderly couple trying to negotiate a road crossing, or a teenaged shoplifter challenging a store owner. In the carefully realised "254 to Dreamtime", an Aboriginal passenger falls asleep during a bus ride and inadvertently rests her head on another stranger's shoulder. It is an image rendered without overstatement and all the more powerful for that. Christmas is able to seize on other facets of suburban street life--dumped furniture, the rituals of bin night, and a packed trailer indicating the collapse of a couple's relationship. He mixes humour with wit and a constant sense of awe at the natural world. Random Adventures shows Martin Christmas maturing as a poet, and is an important step forward in his writing.' - Steve Evans, former Director of the Creative Writing Program, Flinders University