natalie Damjanovich-napoleon
WRITER - POET - MUSICIAN
praise for if there is a butterfly...
“The metaphorical resonance of butterfly and its tears takes on a haunting significance against the backdrop of rising walls and environmental degradation.”
- Ellie Fisher, Arts Hub
“No one, though, could accuse Damjanovich-Napoleon of reducing motherhood to sentimental Hallmark moments. These poems chart the complexity of motherhood: articulating its frustrations and challenges as much as its rewards and joys.”
- Miriam Wei Wei Lo, Rochford Street Review
“This is a must-read for those who study the poetic form and who love the art of language.”
- Karen Richards, Spill the Tea Book Reviews
“Of woman, for women. Natalie Damjanovich-Napoleon’s words and phrases, settle light as butterfly on the page, and yet are utterly grounded in the reality of motherhood: the grief, pain, the suffering, the complete love. This is a heartbreakingly beautiful collection. A joy to read.”
- Carolyn Abs, Poet and Educator
“These poems sing an incantation of endurance across the trajectory of a woman's life. The words ring like anthems full of beautiful phrases that linger long after reading.”
- Josephine Clarke, Poet
about
Natalie Damjanovich-Napoleon (D-Napoleon) is a poet, songwriter and educator from Walyalup/Fremantle, Western Australia.
She is the winner of both the Bruce Dawe National Poetry Prize and Katharine Susannah Prichard Poetry Prize, shortlistee for the Peter Porter Poetry Prize and a two-time finalist for the Penelope Niven Prize in Creative Nonfiction. Her debut book of poetry, First Blood, was published by Ginninderra Press in 2019 and her second book, If There is a Butterfly That Drinks Tears, is out now via Gazebo Book’s poetry imprint, Life Before Man Books.
Natalie's work has been published in various anthologies, journals, and periodicals including Cordite, Antipodes, The Australian, Westerly, Entropy, Griffith Review, StylusLit, Meanjin, Southerly, and Australian Poetry Journal. Natalie is also a singer-songwriter who has toured Australia, Europe and the United States and her 2021 album, You Wanted To Be The Shore But Instead You Were The Sea reach #1 on the Australian Independent Albums chart.
She recently completed a doctorate in erasure poetry and forgotten histories at Edith Cowan University.
anthologies
publicationS
*82 Review | Antipodes Journal | AMWP | Australian Book Review | Australian Poetry Anthology |
Australian Poetry Journal | Backstory Journal | Bukker Tillibul | Blue Bottle Journal | Cordite | Fem Static Zine |
Found Poetry Review | Ginninderra Press | Griffith Review | Gunpowder Press | Hecate Journal |
Mascara Literary Review | Meanjin | Mona Magazine | Rabbit Poetry Journal | Recent Work Press | Red Room Poetry | Right Now | Solo Nova Press | Southerly | St. Martin's Griffin | StylusLit | The Manifest Station | The Weekend Australian (Review) | Tincture Journal | Unlost Journal | WA Poets Press | Westerly Magazine | Writers Digest
australian WRITING RESOURCES LIST
A list compiled by Natalie and provided to you for free in the spirit of paying it forward.
(Please acknowledge any copyrighted use of this list.)
Natalie's work was recently featured on NPR's The Great American Folk Show. Listen here:
PRESS
Natalie D-Napoleon is primarily a poet - which I think is the deepest of all areas of the songwriting tradition - and has been acknowledged as an important one.
TOM BROSSEAU
The Great American Folk Show
Events
Women of a Certain Courage - Panel
Presented by Fremantle Press and Hosted by Bron Bateman
Join Bron Bateman, editor of Women of a Certain Courage, in a panel discussion with three of the book's contributing authors; Annamaria Weldon, Shannon Meyerkort and Natalie Damjanovich-Napoleon.
Monday, 10th March,
6 - 7.30pm
Subiaco Public Library
237 Rokeby Road Subiaco, WA 6008
Woman Scream 2025 Poetry Event...
Saturday, 15th March
2 - 4pm
Lawson Flats
4 Sherwood Ct
Perth WA 6000
Kindly note that disability access will be through the back entrance of the venue. Assistance will be provided on the day to ensure that everyone is directed to the correct entrance.
MC, Vuma Phiri, will introduce:
Natalie Damjanovich-Napoleon
Asha Rajan
Karen Louise
Jo Giles
Mena Tabeshfar
Kula-lee McKeon
Jamie Lee Everingham.
This event is brought to you by WA Poets Inc., in collaboration with Starick Domestic Violence Support Services and the Perth Poetry Club. It is affiliated with the Woman Scream Festival, an international art movement that celebrates International Women’s Day.
This event is FREE! Ticket link available shortly.
Freo Library Poets - Poetry Workshop
So You Want to Edit Your Poetry ?
Award winning poet Natalie Damjanovich-Napoleon
will help budding poets work on editing techniques.
Light refreshments provided.
Tuesday, 18th March
5 - 6:45pm
Fremantle Library
151 High St, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia
Registrations essential:
https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-freo-library-poets-poetry-workshop-with-natalie-d-napoleon