Grief in Realtime
Kirli Saunders
When the news arrives
as 20ft swell
after the storm
I am tumble[sea]weed
raptured in the currents
a ragged mess
of fringed limbs
d e t a c h e d
with suckering roots
wanting to be grounded
in something less parts
…salt…
| and water
washed ashore
and claimed again by the sea
I roll
until one
with plastic and drifted debris
as kindred things
hung out to dry
we wait for the artist or the child to
hold
know
and see us
as so much more
than all our
weathered ways.
Kirli Saunders is a proud Gunai Woman and award-winning international writer of poetry, plays and picture books. She is a teacher, cultural consultant and artist. In 2020, Kirli was named the NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year.
Her debut picture book The Incredible Freedom Machines was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards and CBCA notables. Her poetry collection, Kindred was shortlisted for the Victorian Premiers Literary Awards, ABIA 2020 Book Awards and Kate Challis RAKA award. Kirli’s verse novel, Bindi (Magabala Books) was the inaugural winner of the WA Premiers, Daisy Utemorrah Award. Kirli is currently working on a sequel and 7 forthcoming titles with Magabala, Hardie Grant and Scholastic.
Featuring in anthologies by Magabala Books, UQP and Penguin, Kirli won the University of Canberra ATSI Poetry prize (2019) and was shortlisted for Nakata Brophy prize (2018 and 2020). She judged for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards and QPF Val Vallis Award (2020).
Kirli created Poetry in First Languages, delivered by Red Room Poetry. With the support of Ausco, Kirli will hold her first solo poetic arts exhibition Returning in 2021. Her first Solo play, Going Home has been supported by Playwriting Australia, and will take the stage in 2022
Photo: Maclay Heriot..