THIS IS COAL DON’T BE AFRAID’ is a found poem I wrote in response to the catastrophic Australian Bush Fire Crisis 2020. I then made it into this video poem (narrated by me). The poem attracted the attention of our former PM Malcolm Turnbull who retweeted it. It also attracted the attention of right wing commentator, Andrew Bolt of The Bolt Report (Sky News) who played it and then had it ridiculed by his right wing panelists. Such wonderful exposure! This poem is part of my poetry collection, ‘the lactic acid in the calves of your despair’

‘Poetry has been defined as “that which cannot be translated.” This poem cries out to be translated – into action. Powerful, moving, urgent.’Malcolm Turnbull, Former Prime Minister, Australia 
https://twitter.com/TurnbullMal…/status/1222636406691885056…

‘Brutal. Incising. Honest. Raw.’ Mike Cannon-Brookes, CEO Atlassian
https://twitter.com/mcannonbrookes/status/1222481759008260096?s=20

‘Wow—definitely worth a view/listen’ & ‘Deserves 25,000,000 views.’ Simon Holmes à Court, Energy Transition Specialist
https://twitter.com/simonahac/status/1222476060094107649?s=20
https://twitter.com/simonahac/status/1222490205451501569

 

 

This next clip isn’t a poem, but me reading the first chapter, ‘RETARD DAD’ from my memoir, ‘POKING SEAWEED WITH A STICK & RUNNING AWAY FROM THE SMELL’ published by Wakefield Press & Polygon.