John Harwood (writer)

John Harwood is an Australian writer, poet, and academic. He is known for his formally inventive and often dark-themed poetry, which frequently explores themes of memory, history, science, and mortality.

Harwood's poetry is characterized by its technical skill, use of diverse forms (including sonnets, villanelles, and free verse), and its engagement with a wide range of intellectual and cultural references, drawing from literature, philosophy, and scientific disciplines. His work often displays a self-conscious awareness of the act of writing itself, exploring the limitations and possibilities of language.

Harwood has published several collections of poetry, including The Ambassador (1999), which won the Anne Elder Award, Burning Objects (2003), which won the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Poetry, Young Men (2007), The Tall Trees (2012), and Juvenilia (2021).

In addition to his poetry, Harwood has also worked as an academic, teaching creative writing and literature. He is considered a significant figure in contemporary Australian poetry.