Fire: A Collection of Stories, Poems and Visual Images

Twenty five works make up this collection. Playwright David Milroy’s story, Walardu and Karla, draws on an Aboriginal legend of Karla, the fire that ‘had burned for more than twenty years.’ Poet Miriam Wei Wei Lo explores several ways in which fire informs people’s lives, both literally and symbolically, across different cultural contexts and times. Paul Hetherington’s poem Bushfire captures ‘the aftermath of fire,’ where ‘nights (are) charred with recollection.’ Sharon Tassicker, Curator at the Janet Holmes a Court Gallery at Vasse Felix, shares a selection of art works from their 2013 fire exhibition that illustrate some of the myriad qualities, associations, symbols and emotions that fire generates from Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal perspectives. Mike Rumble’s photographic essay recalls both ‘the natural beauty and power of the fire’ and the recovery of the bush after fire. These are just some of the rich and diverse range of responses to fire contained in the poetry, fiction and visual material in this anthology. Some refer to contemporary events and are often realistic; others use legend, history and memory in their work.

A collection of diverse personal accounts, reflections, artworks and photographs detailing our relationship with fire.

The anthology, includes writings from around Australia, a commissioned poem by award winning poet and Margaret River resident Miriam Wei Wei Lo, photographs by Sean Blocksidge and other Margaret River residents and a commissioned story by indigenous playwright, David Milroy.

Editor, UWA Research Fellow Delys Bird, has selected 300 works from national and international submissions which capture our fascination with and dependence on fire, its devastating impact, and its capacity to spur great acts of bravery and heroism and to unify communities.

The anthology includes moving oral histories, real and contemporary. One riveting account captures the tension experienced by a couple in disagreement over whether to stay and defend their home or leave as the fire rapidly approaches.

The collection contrasts accounts of terrifying fires that have devastated parts of Australia with beautiful descriptions and imagery expressing the wonder of the Australian bush to regenerate and flourish despite apparent devastation.

Acclaimed indigenous playwright David Milroy writes as a Palyku and as a West Australian, offering insight into his people’s long cultural relationship with fire in his moving piece ‘Walardu and Karla’ the fire that had burned for more than twenty years.

Out of print. pp. 240 illusts #0819