Robbie Coburn (born 25 June 1994) is an Australian poet and young adult author.
Born in Melbourne in 1994, Robbie Coburn grew up on his family's farm in Woodstock, Victoria, the son of a horse trainer. As a child, his mother would read him the verse of Banjo Paterson. When he was a teenager, writer John Marsden came to his high school as a visiting author; an experience he considers one of the most formative moments of his life.
He began writing poetry at the age of 14, inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe.
Robert Adamson, whose work Coburn discovered as a teenager, was his idol and mentor, and one of his greatest influences.
CoburnâÂÂs debut young adult verse novel The Foal in the Wire was published by Hachette Australia in 2025.
His first published poem appeared in anarchist poet Pi O's literary journal Unusual Work when he was 17 years old. His poems have appeared in Poetry, Poetry Salzburg Review, Hobart, Meanjin, Island, Westerly and elsewhere. His poems have also been included in many anthologies.
He is the author of several poetry collections including And I Could Not Have Hurt You (Kiddiepunk, 2023). He has also published a number of chapbooks and zines.
Sonya Hartnett described The Foal in the Wire as âÂÂthe real dealâ and Kevin Brooks said the story âÂÂwill stay with you foreverâÂÂ. The book also received praise from Ron Koertge, Steven Herrick and Louis Nowra.
Robert Adamson noted that Coburn's poems âÂÂcome from tough experiences, yet are created with a muscular craft that glows with alert intelligenceâÂÂ. Due to its openness in dealing with personal themes such as mental illness, trauma, addiction, self-harm and suicide, Coburn's work has often been categorised as confessional poetry. Sarah Holland-Batt wrote that Coburn's âÂÂraw and intimate poems are marked by a strong presence of voice: confessional, consolatory, despairing, and defiantâ and that his poems âÂÂspeak of impulses that are often repressed or left unsaid.âÂÂ
S. K. Kelen described CoburnâÂÂs early poetry as âÂÂan intense, at times disturbing, emotional journey employing a surreal, fetishist use of the human body reminiscent of the painter, Francis Bacon.âÂÂ
His work is also known for using imagery related to his upbringing on his family's farm, horses and rodeo.
Coburn suffers from severe depression, and has struggled with alcoholism and self-harm, topics frequently explored in his work. In an interview with 3CR Melbourne, Coburn stated âÂÂI 100% believe that I would be dead without poetry.âÂÂ