Louise Crisp
large scale fires … represent a significant and prolonged loss of key resources for nectarivorous birds, mammals and insects. (Clarke 2008: 9)
The eastern pygmy possum
dangles from the stalk-less
cylindrical
yellow
feast:
saw
ban
k
sia
fl
ow
er
s
s
s
Unmapped, the fire lit in ‘82
Burnt east of West Boundary
Tk along Providence Ponds
And a year later escaped
From an adjacent planned burn
To scorch again the same
Banksia which did not bear
To flower for 18 years
Clarke, M. F. (2008) ‘Catering for the needs of fauna in fire management: science or just wishful thinking?’ Wildlife Research 35 (5), 385-94
Louise Crisp’s long poem series Providence Ponds was written with the assistance of an Australia Council New Work Project Grant. She is currently researching and writing a series on endangered Gliders of East Gippsland supported by a VicArts Grant.