New Year New Hope, No Change
Words AJ
2015.
New year, new hope, no change.
DEBBIE, was her name.
A cyclone so strong, an impact so grave.
Primary school cancelled. Streets flooded. Trees destroyed.
Let the clean up begin.
2017.
New year, new hope, no change.
‘GET OUT’, mom said.
‘And please stay brave’.
‘Grab the dog, the passports,
And GET OUT, before it’s too late’.
‘GET OUT and run to the showgrounds’, she said.
‘You should be safe there’, uncertainty in her voice.
No 12-year-old should have to ponder, an evacuation in the middle of their homeschooling day.
2019.
New year, new hope, no change.
THE FIRES BURNED.
Closer than ever before.
Smoke seen from high school, from the beach, from the street.
A friend’s home destroyed. A whole community left feeling defeat.
2021.
New year, new hope, no change.
More friends forced to EVACUATE.
Zooming into uni from a home left in DISREPAIR.
Flood water RISING, spirits demising.
2023.
New year, new you,
New hope, no change.
‘This summer will be severe’, they said.
A community left feeling shaken and in fear.
‘How can we do this, year after year?
When each time there’s new hope,
Our government conveniently disappears.’
‘One voice is loud, but our voices are LOUDER.
So let this be our call, for NOT ONE MORE Aussie to be left in disaster.’