Poems to Honour National Reconciliation Week

A few days ahead of National Reconciliation Week, we invite you to join in this years' theme 'Bridging Now to Next'.

Each year from 27 May to 3 June, National Reconciliation Week invites all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements. To do so, we must explore how each of us can contribute to reaching reconciliation in Australia. This year’s theme ‘Bridging Now to Next’ urges us to move ahead, continuing to push forward towards a united and respectful nation, one that allows past lessons to guide future steps.

Preceded by National Sorry Day on 26th May – a crucial date celebrated all around the country in remembrance of the ‘Bringing Them Home’ report tabled in federal parliament in 1997 – Reconciliation Week is also marked by two significant milestones: the 1967 referendum, and the 1992 High Court Mabo decision, both pivotal moments in the struggle for recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights. But reconciliation is more than dates. It is a daily practice — a call to truth-telling, to listening, and to action.

At Red Room Poetry, we believe that poetry can be a powerful force for truth, healing and cultural understanding. Poetry encourages deep listening and invites us to reflect and hold space for complexity, for grief, for memory, and for hope. First Nations poets, communities, Elders and custodians, lead us in this work and show us how care, identity, Language, community and Country are all connected.

Our Truth and Reconciliation Pledge

In 2021, Red Room Poetry publicly committed to a Truth and Reconciliation Pledge, outlining the tangible ways we honour First Nations voices and leadership in our organisation and programs. This pledge is not symbolic — it’s an evolving, action-led commitment to equity, sovereignty and care. We invite you to read the pledge, reflect on it, and join us in continuing this important work.

Our First Nations Programs

Red Room Poetry’s First Nations programs are grounded in cultural consultation, deep listening, and respectful collaboration. From Poetry in First Languages to Baraya Barray (Sing Country), these initiatives are led by First Nations artists and guided by Country. Each project creates space for intergenerational learning, language revitalisation, and poetic storytelling, connecting young people with Elders, Knowledge Holders, poets, musicians, and community leaders. These programs don’t just teach poetry — they honour and uphold cultural practice through creative exchange.

Poems that Speak to Country, Culture and Truth

In honour of National Reconciliation Week, we’ve curated a selection of poems from our archive that speak to themes of Country, truth-telling, survival, resistance, and healing. These poems are invitations to listen more deeply, to honour Indigenous knowledges, and to hold space for our Country truths.

Explore the collection below:

More Ways to Engage

• Attend a poetry event led by First Nations voices during Reconciliation Week.
• Share these poems with your networks, friends or classrooms.
• Reflect on what reconciliation means to you — and how you can take action.
• If you’re an educator or parent, engage with Ali Cobby Eckermann: HSC English Resource

Reconciliation begins with listening — to the land, to story, and to each other. Thank you for joining us in this ongoing journey.