The Bare Hook

<p><em>The Bare Hook</em> is Rod Usher's fourth collection. His poems have appeared in many literary magazines and anthologies including <em>Best Australian Poems</em> 2015 the Proverse Prize anthology (Hong Kong) 2021 <em>Best Australian Love Poems</em> the Grieve Prize anthology the Newcastle Poetry Prize anthology 2020 and the ACU Prize anthology where in 2021 a poem in this collection 'Marginal Notes' won a $1000 award. The late Les Murray who published some twenty of Usher's poems said of his earlier collection <em>Smiling Treason</em> 'I laughed out loud at times I inwardly cried at other times.' Usher who grew up in Melbourne is a former literary editor of <em>The Age</em> and senior writer and editor for <em>TIME</em> magazine in Europe. He lives in Extremadura Spain. He has also published three novels most recently <em>Poor Man's Wealth</em> (HarperCollins).</p><p><br></p>