By Laura Michell
A group of Marymede Catholic College students has reflected on the tragedy of Black Saturday to produce a book of poems about the 2009 bushfires.
The 10 students are part of the school’s creative writing program and spent a term last year learning about the bushfires and their impact on the community by reading survivor’s testimonies and speaking to community members.
The book, which was published earlier this month, was given to people attending a 10th anniversary memorial service in Kinglake on February 10.
Year 11 student Chloe Falzon said she had vivid memories of the fires and recalled reading many news stories in the weeks that followed.
She said the resilience of the communities affected by the bushfires had inspired her.
“It was one of the biggest fires in Australian history but one of the things that shone through was how the communities banded together,” she said.
“Writing has always been an escape, to be able to use something I like so much to give voice to the victims is such an honour for me.”
Fellow author Shante Pisani said she knew very little about the fires before the project.
The year 9 student said she felt proud knowing the students had created a book that gave voices to the victims and would mean something to the communities affected by the fires.
MORE MARYMEDE COLLEGE NEWS:
www.starweekly.com.au/news/world-record-tilt-for-whittlesea-students/
