ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Thank you Maureen, for these prompts, because I confess that my pen has been completely still since these fires began. I have cried for Australia like so many others but have felt utterly lost for words on the subject. Now you have helped me to make a start this year - so whilst it's just a small one, I thank you once again.

Standing Firm

To witness struggling wildlife in confusion and despair
stagger panicked through the burning bush in haste;
to watch these tragic shadows backed by skies of tangerine
and to feel the helpless tragedy and waste
is a heartbreak indescribable, a horror unsurpassed
as a nation tries to cope with mammoth grief—
to gag on filthy smoke, to learn of deaths and homes destroyed
in apocalyptic scenes, defies belief;
to try to come to terms with countless creatures we have lost—
our distinctive native animals and birds—
to bleakly stare at blistered, peeling land and count the cost
is revulsion too unspeakable for words.

But nature will regenerate - already can be seen
early promise of renewal after fires—
robust and verdant beauty sprouting valiantly in trees,
and in fields that days before were blazing pyres.
So too will all Australians persist in standing firm
and elect to look for rainbows through the gloom;
koala bears will feast again, the roos will blithely bound,
and the kookaburra’s laughter will resume.
Despite the stench of blistered, peeling land, we’ll start again
with resilience and defiance in our eyes—
the bush and its inhabitants will teach us all the way,
whilst our birds fly high in flawless southern skies.

© Catherine Lee, Jan 2020

Good to see you make a start Catherine, Happy New Year ( not so happy for some ) You've woven in the prompts well.

Well done Catherine. I think these fires have stirred many a muse sadly - but there have been some good poems risen up from the ashes as it were. Each one is an individual time capsule, and I think they will stand the test of time for years to come.

You've made excellent use of the prompts as well Catherine in this heartfelt poem. Revulsion to unspeakable for words indeed - and yet luckily, poets find the words and paint the pictures.

Thanks so much as always, Neville and Maureen, for your kind and encouraging comments...It is hard to feel equipped to find any words when people are suffering so unspeakably over there,..But I do like your thought that each poem is an 'individual time capsule to stand the test of time', Maureen.

Hi Catherine

As Neville has stated you have used the prompts well to paint your word picture.
You have highlighted the horror of it all but end with a positive note,
and you're right the land will regenerate again as it always has before.

A thing worth remembering that this is not even close to the worst bushfire we've had.
I was reading the history of past bush fires in the same area going back to 1903 and earlier,
and even all those years ago they had more destructive fires that this, so it doesn't give us much confidence for the future, does it.

As Always I enjoyed your poem Catherine - and by the way, let me wish you a 'Happy near new Year.

Terry

Thank you so much, Terry... Sadly, you are certainly right in that this destruction doesn't give us much confidence for the future!
I greatly appreciate your feedback and encouragement as always - Happy New Year to you too, and more power to your pen in 2020!

Excellent poem, Catherine - and I definitely agree about the positive ending to a potentially negative situation. I think we all need to feel the uplift of hope!

Cheers
Shelley

Thanks so much, Shelley