Future Laureates: Young Writers on Poetry and Power

Charlee Brooks (he/him) is an Australian poet, writer, and content creator living on Wadawurrung land. His work explores queer intimacy, memory, and the quiet politics of the body. He runs Grandpa’s Book Club, a digital community with over one hundred thousand followers curating and celebrating literature from the margins. He is currently working on his […]

Isabella Eichler-Onus is a proud Gunditjmara writer living in Naarm. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Creative Writing at the University of Melbourne. She has published poetry with Red Room Poetry and Voiceworks, and has been involved in events with the Melbourne Writers Festival, YIRRAMBOI, and the Wheeler Centre. Her work explores themes of identity, cultural connection and the intricate relationship between land and body. You can find her @bellieeichler on Instagram.

Joel Keith is a writer, editor and musician living on unceded Wurundjeri land. Their work has appeared in Overland, Island, Cordite and the Suburban Review, and is forthcoming from the Sydney Review of Books. She placed third in the Judith Wright Poetry Prize 2024. She is the editor of Voiceworks.

Zafty is an 18-year-old Nigerian-born rapper from WA who is based in Melbourne, known for a style reminiscent of J. Cole and Redveil. In 2023, he released 11 singles and was spotlighted by Triple J, earning the “Most Underrated Flow” in their Unearthed High Yearbook. He’s since received strong Triple J support, including playlist features and a rotation add for his track “M.I.A.” In 2024, he was named a finalist in Unearthed High from over 1,100 entries and won a slot at Wildlands Festival’s WA leg after winning the Triple J Unearthed competition.