Grief

[David Campbell]

In A Poet's Voice I commented on the role poetry can play in dealing with current events. In the aftermath of the horrific Black Saturday fires down here in 2009 I wrote the poem below. One of the fires attacked Toolangi, where we hold the annual CJ Dennis festival, surrounding the town for weeks and burning huge areas. Two people died and 18 homes were lost, although "The Singing Gardens" and the township itself were saved. The poem was written after we drove through the area on our way to the festival in October of that year. Given the devastation so close to home on Christmas Day, it has relevance again.

Grief

Do you hear it, do you hear it, sighing,
in the stillness of the night, the crying?
On the wind the sound of voices comes,
keening with the throb of muffled drums.

Do you see it, do you see it, gliding,
like a phantom in the shadows, hiding?
In the turn of moments it is there,
always out of reach beyond my prayer.

Do you fear it, do you fear it, weeping,
in the velvet darkness while you’re sleeping?
In my dreams the torment never dies;
trapped within my heart its echo lies.

Do you feel it, do you feel it, burning,
through the swirling mists of time, the yearning?
Though the years may pass and anger fade,
still it cuts so deep, that silent blade.

Can you bear it, can you bear it, mourning,
for what’s lost with each day’s brand new dawning?
Green now cloaks the bones of blackened trees,
ashes scattered by a careless breeze.

© David Campbell, 2009

[Heather]

The cycle continues hey David? And now the work begins.

Heather

[Catherine Lee]

Moving and powerfully put David - and sadly relevant way too often!

[David Campbell]

Thank you, and yes, as you both say, the wheel turns. In this morning's Age there's a bushfire expert commenting that: "Somewhere between 7 and ten years after this fire, the fuels will be worse than they were before this year because of the amount of regrowth that comes back." Since 1983 we've watched a blackened moonscape return to dense bushland in the Otway Ranges. But there are now many more houses than there were back then, so the potential for disaster is already greater than before. Development, regeneration, the tourist dollar, and bushfires...it's a lethal combination.

David

[Maureen K Clifford]

Hard times and yet so much a part of our country we seem ???? to be quite complacent about the fires that ravage our country every season.

I would be interested in you thought on this concept David - one that has plagued me for many years and never an good reason given as to why it isn't done .....

Apart from the logical things that most people who live in bushfire areas already do - such as keeping trees well away from the homes, not having bark chipped gardens around the exterior walls and using fire resistant plantings, and hopefully having a fire break/cleared area right around the home - why do more home owners in these areas not have to hand close to their homes either -

a. A water holding tank with pump and hoses and the usage of fire retardent foam

b. A sprinkler system set up permanently on their roof able to be connected up to the same pump and tank.

There would of course be an initial cost to set it up - but surely it would be a sensible precaution.

[Heather]

In some fires those precautions just aren't enough Maureen. The weather conditions, the dryness after drought and terrain are extreme and nothing will stop those fires. I know several people who had all those preparations and more on Black Saturday and still lost their homes. They were lucky to survive - because they stayed to fight. The safest option is to leave - and leave early. it is almost seven years since Black Saturday and I was told By a CFA employee (he trains the fire fighters) recently that the area Burnt is ready to go up again because of the huge amount of re-growth and all the dead trees. The road to recovery is a long one, people affected by Black Saturday are still recovering and suffering and the worst affected (in my opinion) are those that stayed to fight -whether they saved a house or lost it.

[Neville Briggs]

Just a note on the fire retardant foam Maureen. There has been found a large problem of toxic pollution in the waterways up Newcastle way because of the use of fire retardant foam at the airfield. We might have to stick to plain water for bush fire fighting.

[David Campbell]

Heather's right, Maureen, in conditions like those of Black Saturday and Ash Wednesday nothing except sheer, blind luck can save people and property. In fact, the sprinkler systems and water pumps could give a false sense of security. It's reported that the heat of the fires here on Ash Wednesday rose to 2000 degrees, more than that recorded in the Allied bombing of Dresden. Road surfaces caught fire and sand liquefied to glass. "Go and go early" is the best safety precaution.

Cheers
David

[alongtimegone]

Very enjoyable David. The writing not the topic. I don't understand how those affected can return to the ashes of the tragedy to pick up and start over. They must be made of something that I lack.
Wazza

[Heather]

Most people start again because of a love of their community and the environment they live in Wazza- that decisions is often based on emotion rather than practicality. Unfortunately, a lot of people find out too late that it is extremely hard work (not to mention costly) to rebuild, and in hindsight they wish they hadn't done it. (I did a lot of volunteer work with recovery after Black Saturday and have just completed a book of people's stories).

Heather