‘a round of silence

where the voice of our oceans

shore into one song’

- from Please my dear neighbour

by Benjamin Theolonius Sanders (IQ).

In this episode of 3CR's Spoken Word show which aired on Thursday 18th Decmber 2025, you will hear poet Benjamin Theolonius Sanders (IQ) talk about sport, music, lineages and the voice as an instrument.

Benjamin Theolonius Sanders (IQ) is a native Memphis griot, professional teaching artist, intergenerational educator, intercontinental slam champion, dj photographer  and father. The former MC of the Memphis Music & Heritage Festival, an 8X Memphis Slam Champion & 2x Melbourne slam Champion, IQ is a haiku lover and typewriter devotee. In 2009 He was one of twelve guest artists at Womadelaide, where his poetry was translated into Indigenous language in collaboration with visual artists from the APY lands. IQ is the author of 11 chapbooks, 3 albums, 2 audio anthologies, and has been anthologised in various academic and commercial publications for the past 30+ years.  Normally referred to as Memphis Poet Laureate, IQ loves music, coffee, scrabble, teaching about poetry of all kinds, tennis, Memphis and Geelong. Presently the Poet Laureate of the Centre for Southern Folklore, IQ is a hypen-aided American, as well as Poet Laureate of legendary Memphis Jam band Freeworld. When his feet are not walking in M’town, IQ lives on Wadawurrung /Wathaurong country. Find IQ at www.poetiq.com

Poems written and performed by Benjamin Theolonius Sanders (IQ) in this episode:

Small latte and jam

Maturity

Conversation Peace

Please my dear neighbour (haiku train)

For What It’s Worth

Credits

Recorded, produced and edited by Indrani Perera.

Thank you to Benjamin Theolonius Sanders for sharing his poetry and to you for listening!