It will be the gentlest of protests. No police cars will be torched.
But words will be spoken.
The poets of Canberra plan to meet at Poet's Corner in Garema Place and read poetry by one of their number, now deceased.
They feel that Rosemary Dobson should have a statue there to balance the two poetic men and one woman who are currently depicted.
But most of all, they think she should have a statue because she's worth it. She was a really good poet from Canberra, but known and loved way beyond Canberra.
She was born in Sydney in 1922 and died ten years ago, leaving a rich legacy of work. She wrote from the age of seven and published more than 20 volumes of verse.
Her first collection of poems, In a Convex Mirror, appeared in 1944. Her last book, Rosemary Dobson: Collected, was published just before she died.
Her poems have depth and beauty but aren't obscure. She is a poet of stature but whose work is for the people.
I have a personal desire to see gender equity in Poet's Corner.
Jacqui Malins
"I have a personal desire to see gender equity in Poet's Corner," poet Jacqui Malins said. "Rosemary was clearly the equal of the poets already there and a friend of the poets who are already there."
The poets who already do have a bronze presence at Garema Square are Judith Wright, A.D. Hope and David Campbell, each sculpted by Cathy Weiszmann. There's a sample of each of their work on the plinth.
At the time Poet's Corner was created in the shopping hub of Canberra, Rosemary Dobson was still alive and it wasn't thought appropriate to include her.
But now there is the perspective of time. "We are coming up to ten years since Poet's Corner was built so I think it would be a good time to restart the discussion about her inclusion," Jacqui Malins said.
Rosemary's father was a civil engineer who died when she was seven. Her mother worked at the Frensham private boarding school in Mittagong in the Southern Highlands so she was educated there before going on to Sydney University.
She and her husband moved to London but moved back, to Canberra, in 1971 and stayed.
The Australian Women's Register says: "Poet Rosemary Dobson's significant contribution to Australian literature is evident in the long list of literary awards she received.
"Contemplative and meditative, Dobson's poetry is rich with references to art, history, relationship and the Australian landscape.
"Her move to Canberra in 1971 brought her into a rich literary and artistic community and she was freed to write again after five years in England when her pen remained still.
"Dobson became a vital member of Canberra's literary community contributing generously of her time as mentor to younger poets, providing readings for poetry lovers and continuing to publish her own work until she died in 2012."
The hour-long reading which is part of the Poetic City festival will start at 1.30pm on Sunday.
The poets doing the readings are Caren Florance, Melinda Smith, Geoff Page, Suzanne Edgar, Lesley Lebkovicz, Sarah St Vincent Welch and Maggie Shapley. Most of them knew Rosemary personally.
