Les Wicks (born 15 June 1955) is an Australian poet, publisher and editor. He has a long list of achievements in writing, publishing and broadcasting. This includes the publication of fifteen books of poetry.

Les Wicks
Born	(1955-06-15) 15 June 1955 (age 67) Sydney, New South Wales
Occupation	Poet, publisher, editor, workshop coordinator
Known for	Poetry
Website	http://leswicks.tripod.com/lw.htm

Early life and education

Wicks grew up in western suburbs Sydney. He studied for a Bachelor of Arts in History at Macquarie University and worked at a variety of unskilled and semi-skilled jobs while living in Sydney and London.

In the late 1970s, he established Meuse publications (with Bill Farrow) which mixed text and graphics. He helped set up the Poets Union in NSW. From the 1980s, he worked as a union industrial advocate for several unions after obtaining a Graduate Diploma in Industrial Law from the University of Sydney.

Literary career

Les Wicks has been widely published... appearances in over 400 different magazines, anthologies & newspapers etc across 33 countries in 15 languages. Readings/presentations/performance of works go into the many hundreds but include: several Sydney Festivals, several Sydney Writers’ Festivals including 2013, 2011 to date member Harbour City Poets. Tasmanian Poetry Festival, Qld Poetry Festival, Overload, Art Gallery NSW, Harold Park Hotel, Kinselas, Sydney/Macquarie/Charles Sturt Unis, Martin Place, Long Bay Gaol, Montsalvat, Parliament House (NSW), National Poetry Centre (London), NSW Writers’ Centre, Byron Writers Festival, State Library NSW Literary Weekend, CBC (Can), Colombia Television, Fiptr.com (Can), Radio National, 2BL, 2NC, 2UE, 2GB, 2JJJ, 2RES, 2SER, Writers' Radio, Dan O’Connell, Australian Made Poetry, Regional ABC (Riverina, Nth Coast & Broken Hill), Australian Poetry Festival, Castlemaine State Festival, Newcastle Writers Festival, Noosa Long Weekend, Shoalhaven Poetry Festival, Contemporary Australian Fiction Festival, Broken Hill Poetry Festival.

Tours:- 2021 International Festival of Poetry and Liquor (e), Vessels of Love, Chengdu International Poetry Week (e), International Festival of Poetry & Liquor (e), Kerala Literature Festival (e) - 2020 14 Festival Mundial de Poesia de Venezuela (e) ,Festival International de Poesia de Medellin (e), GeneSiir festival (e), La Voce dei Poeti (e), Pinecone BigO (e) - 2019 Newcastle Canberra Melbourne Perth & Chengdu Int Poetry Week - 2018 Kerala Literature Festival, Chair Poetry Evenings Kolkata - 2016 Vilenica Int Lit Fest, Kosovo Int. Poe. Fest., Bellingen R&W Fest. - 2015 Festival de Poesia de Nicaragua & Istanbul International Poetry Festival - 2014 World Poetry Festival Delhi, Austin International Poetry Festival, Beyond Baroque (LA) & Struga Poetry Evenings - 2013 International Poetry Festival Medellin - 2011 International Literary Festival, Lviv, Ukraine, Noosa Long Weekend - 2009 12000 km book programme Adelaïde, Perth, Newcastle, West NSW & Melbourne - Festival International de la Poesie 2006 Quebec - South Coast WC workshopping project 2005 - Book tour – Melb., Wagga, Tumbarumba, Broken Hill 2004 - Litlink Tour - SW & Central West NSW 2000.

Selected bibliography

• The Vanguard Sleeps In (Glandular, 1981)
• Cannibals (Rochford Street Press, 1985)
• Tickle (Island Press (Australia), 1993)
• Nitty Gritty (Five Islands, 1997)
• The Ways of Waves (Sidewalk, 2000)
• Appetites of Light (Presspress, 2002)
• Stories of the Feet (Five Islands, 2004)
• The Ambrosiacs (Island Press (Australia), 2009)
• Shadows of the Read (Krok, 2011), 2011) English/Ukrainian
• Barking Wings (PressPress, 2012), 2012)
• Sea of Heartbeak (Unexpected Resilience) ( Puncher & Wattmann, 2013)
• El Asombrado (On-line ebook) ( Rochford Street Press, 2015) English/Spanish
• Getting By Not Fitting In (Island Press (Australia), 2016)
• Belief (Flying Islands, 2019)
• Time Taken - New and Selected (Puncher & Wattmann 2022)

As editor/co-editor or organised

• 2022 * Guide to Sydney Crime Meuse Press
• 2018 * "To End All Wars" ( Puncher & Wattmann, 2018)
• 2015 *Guide to Sydney Rivers Meuse Press
• 2011 "AU/UA: Contemporary Poetry of Ukraine and Australia" (Krok, 2011) Meuse Press
• 2010 "from this Broken Hill" Meuse Press
• 2009 *Guide to Sydney Beaches Meuse Press
• 2000–2008 co-organiser Poets on Wheels.
• 2002 Heritage Light including publishing a poem on the surface of a river.
• 1998–2003 Written in Sand Project Meuse Press.
• 1999–2000 editor of Hobo.
• 1993 to date director of Island Press.
• 1992–1999 Artransit Project Meuse Press.
• 1985 Musicians Union Band Guide. 1978.
• 1984–1997 to Senior Industrial Officer Musicians Union & Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance.
• 1990–93 Sec. NSW ALP Communications & Leisure Policy Committee. –
• 1977–1981 Meuse Press Magazine, supplements & anthologies.
• Part of PUA Poets Union of Australia (NSW) original steering committee, Jnt Sec./Treas. (1979–80), Federal Secretary 1983.

Notes

References

• Australian Artists & Writers Directory Les Wicks – Biographical Note
• Directory of Australian Poets 1980 Poets Union
• Guide to Sydney Beaches
• from this Broken Hill
• AU/UA Contemporary Poetry of Ukraine and Australia
• Meuse Press
• Festival Internacional de Poesia de Medellin
• Review of "Stories of the Feet"
• " review Belief
• Puncher and Wattmann
• Les Wicks website

External links

• Official website
• Review of "Stories of the Feet"
• Review of "Barking Wings"
• El Asombrado"