Lying beneath blankets

breath bouncing back at me

the cadence of the ocean

lulling

along with the patterned

          inhale

         exhale

of the dog at the foot of the bed

seeking warmth from my feet

and I from her body

 

Darkness sits

light is lurking

morning stirring

I am almost awake

eyes closed

chasing sleep through

lucid dreams

 

Home is this doona

pulled up past my nose

my warm breath

         inhale

         exhale

a drawing of strength

for whatever comes next

...

 

ABCN and Red Room Poetry teamed up to create a unique workshop series that explored themes of home. In workshops led by celebrated Red Room poet Candy Royalle, mentors from Genworth and Year 10 students from Leumeah High School mapped connections with memory, community, character and the heart-strings that tie us to different places.

The workshop participants were guided through various writing and performance activities to create and share a collection of poems that celebrate home – the things we love, those that make us laugh, what we hope to change and how we aspire to live. These poems were then compiled into an anthology called Finding Home, which was launched at Leumeah High School on 28th October 2014.