Five moving poems by young people included in the new commemorative book Fighting Spirit bring a child’s eye to the arresting images of the 2019-20 devastation, collected in this moving photographic tribute to our bushfire-affected communities. SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE POEMSManu Sage, the 17-year-old senior division winner of the Kids News Bushfire Poetry Competition, from which the poems were sourced, said the book’s images and words of survival, loss and recovery were “incredibly important”. “These sorts of things are way too easily lost, so you have to have something permanent to keep them in,” he said.“It was very scary, if I’m being honest. The smoke was all you could smell and breathe and your lungs hurt from it. When the fire actually got there, there was a roaring sound … like a tornado. Going through it, and all the time after it, rebuilding and stuff … it did bring the community together.” Youngsters from all around Australia entered the competition, and in addition to the five poems published in full, inspirational lines from many more are scattered throughout the pages of Fighting Spirit. The book also contains photos submitted by people caught in the firestorms – some of which are featured here – as well as many striking images by News Corp photographers and others. Junior poetry winner Lincoln, 12, a year 6 student at Cobargo Primary School in NSW, said one parent told him he had “done Cobargo proud”. “That was a great feeling, to have done that,” Lincoln said. “I will never forget that image of the fire coming over the hill towards our property. It looked alive, like an enormous herd of red, orange-coloured cattle on the move coming over the hillside.” Ignatius Hassett, 12, runner-up for his poem Losses, said he was motivated to write because it was “such a trying time”. “Not just the fire, but the fact that we lost our dog as well,” he said. “It was unrelated, but it was just that same period that we lost him. That time period was devastating.” The publication of Fighting Spirit was a huge source of pride. “I’ve actually achieved something big,” Ignatius said. “I’m there in history – in the record.”Fighting Spirit is a collaboration between News Corp Australia, HarperCollins and the Federal Government’s National Resilience and Recovery Agency. Five thousand copies will be donated to libraries and schools in bushfire-affected communities and all royalties will go to the bushfire charity BlazeAid. Fighting Spirit: A tribute to the bushfire-affected communities of Australia’s Black Summer, published by HarperCollins Australia, is available Monday 4 October.UNEARTHLY The road ahead is burning The road behind’s on fire A three point turn then racing back Amidst the unearthly choir Arriving in the village Barely able to cope Sheltering in the fire shed We could only sit and hope But the waiting was the worst partWhen there was nothing we could do But sit there in the darkness Wishing it wasn’t true In blackened hills we gather together People I’ve known my whole life I look over their tired facesFaces changed by one cruel night — Manu Sage.SUNRISE ON A HILLI can see a fireIt’s just over that hillBut if we stick togetherWe will be fineThere was no sunriseOn the hillsideEven though my sister said there wasI said, ‘No AstridThat’s the fireNo sunrise to see here today.’I can see a fireIt’s just over that hillBut if we stick togetherWe will be finePack the carCall the dogsWhere do we goWhat do we do?I can see a fireIt’s just over that hillBut if we stick togetherWe will be fineIf we stick togetherWe will be fine— Lincoln Alderman.LOSSESBlackened red skyFlying ashes, burning embersRacing hearts, plunging hopeHome in danger, saved by the riverOur tree house left this world in a blazeof fireI remember like yesterday we sat on thesoccer wall in denialWeeping as we saw blackened cloudlooming aboveI knew right then that it was goneBut still hoping, wishing, praying againstall oddsWe lost our dog to highway trafficI barely missed him at firstThen I began to miss the biting of feeton the trampolineI know now that things like houses andtreehouses are replaceableBut our friends are not— Ignatius Hassett.I WILL NEVER FORGETI will never forget that year,the smoke was thick, the sirens were loud,and the fire was near.I was scared.Our school closed down,we turned on the news and there was our town.We danced for rain, but it just didn’t come.The fire came near,and our town lived in fear.We packed up our stuff,and I had to be tough.I was scared.It was too late to leave on New Year’s Eve.Sometime after lunch the sky turned to black.There was no turning back.We waited and watched,and our place was spared.But I was still scared.Today I give thanks as I look at the sky,for the firies that saved us and gave up their time.— James Fielding.THANK YOU FIREFIGHTERSThank you firefightersFor risking your livesTo make sure we surviveWhen we are in danger.Thank you firefightersFor working all day and nightTo make sure there’s not a fire in sight.The conditions you were in couldn’t getany stranger.Thank you firefightersFor helping outWhen we are in doubtAnd saving us.Thank you firefightersFor making the fires go,Even if the process was slow,And doing it without any fuss.Thank you for everything, firefighters.— Fintan Daly.
Source: Sun Herald
