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Day of the fire at Drysdale River

The poem

 

Miners Pool, Kimberley, June 1998

 

The smell is faintly acrid.  Smoky.

Sky stained with smoke.

Burnt grass fallout

floats and spirals,

the afternoon breeze

stirs life into this

timeless landscape

and overhead lorikeets

scream greetings

And then

roaring like a freight train

crackling like Chinese New Year

fanned flames leap just there

not far – just visible through

the trees.  Run – alert – do you hear

are you aware?  Just beware!

and then the raptors

soaring in the thermals

in their hundreds -

roast dinner tonight.

 

1999

This painting won first prize at the Fire and Water Art Exhibition, Mitchell, 2000 (judge Davida Allen)

materials:

 acrylic, collage, local pigment, oil stick on board

No frame, ready to hang

finished size: 

 600mm h x  900mm w

price:

AUD 3000