Johanna Featherstone, along with poet and hip hop artist SOLO (Nick Bryant-Smith) held workshops at Oolong House in Nowra.
Oolong House is a residential facility offering programs for the treatment of drug and alcohol addictions. The program is tailored to meet the needs of Aboriginal men, but is also suited to non-indigenous men. Oolong House fosters strong long term community connections and guides men to regain control of their lives.
During the day-long poetry workshop, the participants worked on a group poem, inspired by their thoughts, impressions, emotions and reactions to a painting.
Out in the Cold
1943 is definitely not the place for me;
babies in strollers like little black ships,
crowded place, old gas streetlights
and fountains - back in the movies.
The house has the fire on.
Memories of childhood how much things
have changed.
One small boy looking at me:
I hope to see the unlit light in the background
grow bright - that way I'll be right.
There's people all bunched
up looking in the same direction.
Where has all the sound vanished to?
Babies reassurance, loneliness, despair.
Curiosity we all share.
Everyone has warm clothes on.
(hell, yeah!)
From The Brothers at Oolong House.
View The Handwritten Poem
