sad queer poems. sometimes happy ones, as a treat.
I'm Leona, a poet from Warrang/Sydney.
I care a lot about LGBTQIA+ stories, and am interested in work that engages with queer possibility.
My work was featured in New Philosopher magazine, earning the publication's first 'Highly Commended' award, and I have been engaged multiple times to create text for dramaturg and composer Meta Cohen.
Most recently, my poem ‘Meteora’ was the basis of Meta's newly commissioned work celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Sydney Chamber Choir in July 2025.
My poem, ‘we’, forms one of four movements of their song cycle ‘a love is a love is a love’, commissioned by ABC Classic as part of the 2021 inaugural ABC Classic and Jazz commissioning series, and was broadcast on the ABC in late 2022.
I also worked with Meta on text for ‘Swerve’ for the Goulbourn Valley Pride Festival, which was selected as a finalist in the APRA AMCOS 2023 Art Music Awards.
If you'd like to talk shop, you can get in touch with me here. I've just finished my Masters, so I have a second.