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Sally Murphy, Australian author

Poetry Friday: Narelle

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It’s Poetry Friday and my mind has been filled this week with thoughts about Queen Narelle, my new verse novel which is released next Wednesday. I am counting down the days, and have been busy coming up with fun ways to share Narelle and Maddie’s story with the world. I’ve also spent time this week doing edits for my next verse novel, The Riding Gallery, which will be released in 2024.

So, hopefully you might forgive me that I haven’t written anything new this week. I thought instead I might give you a tiny taste of Queen Narelle – and, perhaps, an insight into why you might call a cat Narelle.

Na-re-eeeeeelle!
I shout my name to the moon.
the house behind me is peaceful
and the portal has beckoned me outside
where the full moon
above
smiles down,
wanting to know my name.
Na-re-eeeeeelle!

(Queen Narelle, p.. 50)

Did you guess? Yes, she’s called Narelle because that is the sound a cat makes – and, when I was a child we had a cat with just that name, too. She didn’t look much like the Narelle in my book, but I like to think she would have liked to have a book named after her.

I’m off to see what my Poetry Friday friends are up to. Tricia will be hosting the roundup, so you can follow the fun too.
And, of course, come back her next Wednesday for the launch of Queen Narelle.

Poetry Friday: Where the Pelican Builds Her Nest

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It’s Poetry Friday. Last week I shared Dorothea Mackellar’s famous ‘My Country’  and it had such a lovely response that I thought I might share another classic Australian poem this week.

This one is perhaps less well known. It’s a ballad, by a Scottish-born Australian poem Mary Hannay-Foott. It’s a little haunting, but one I’m very fond of – enough that I included it in my Teaching Poetry book.

Where the Pelican Builds Her Nest

The horses were ready, the rails were down,
But the riders lingered still
One had a parting word to say,
And one had his pipe to fill.

Then they mounted, one with a granted prayer,
And one with a grief unguessed.
“We are going,” they said, as they rode away
“Where the Pelican builds her nest!”

They had told us of pastures wide and green,
To be sought past the sunset’s glow;
Of rifts in the ranges by opal lit;
And gold ‘neath the river’s flow.

And thirst and hunger were banished words
When they spoke of that unknown West;
No drought they dreaded, no flood they feared,
Where the pelican builds her nest!

The creek at the ford was but fetlock deep
When we watched them crossing there;
The rains have replenished it thrice since then,
And thrice has the rock lain bare.

But the waters of Hope have flowed and fled,
And never from blue hill’s breast
Come back – by the sun and the sands devoured
Where the pelican builds her nest!

Mary Hannay-Foott (1881)

That last stanza is a wee bit heart breaking, and I believe that the poem was written about two brothers who went off searching for fertile farming land (the pelicans build nests where there is water and food) and never returned. There is more about the poem here.

Coincidentally, I shared earlier this week, a lesson idea for guiding students to write sad poems. It is only as I write this post that I realise this poem is a really good example.

I’m off today to a small literary festival not far from home, so I’ll be checking in on the rest of the Poetry Friday fun a little later. Heidi will be hosting the roundup. Have a great Friday!

Happy New Year and My One Little Word for 2023

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Happy New Year!  This is my favourite time of the year because it’s summer and I can visit the beach, and swim, and because I have fewer commitments in my day job, meaning more time for family and friends – and reading.

Receiving my medal from the Governor

It’s also a good time to take stock. 2022 was a really busy year for me, personally and professionally. Perhaps the biggest thing was a bit of both – the recognition I received in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, with an OAM for my services to children’s literature and education. This was the most unexpected honour, but what was so wonderful wasn’t the medal, or the letters after my name, or the fancy reception. It was being blown away by all the love I felt – from friends and family, but also from peers, colleagues, readers and complete strangers.  I had no idea that so many people would be happy for me, or see me as worthy of such a thing. As a result, I have been left with a stronger sense of what I do, and what I still want to do, in my work life, as well as a personal sense of being seen.   It was also a wonderful reminder to me of the value in letting people know when you are happy for their achievements, or when you value what they have done, big or small. I still don’t know who nominated me, and maybe I never will – but whoever you are, thank you.

Lots of other stuff happened in 2022. I worked hard, spent time with my husband, children and grandchildren, and with friends and extended family. I swam (not as much as I’d like, but enough to keep moving), walked on the beach and welcomed my gorgeous new puppy (George) into my life.  I wrote – including finishing a verse novel and having it accepted, and also finalising work on a previous one – meaning I have one coming out in June this year, and another early in 2024.    I spoke at festivals and at schools and other events.  I read lots of wonderful books. We had a wedding in the family and, like every family, lots of highs and lows/challenges.

And now it’s a new year, and I have been thinking about what it might hold, and how I’d like it to look. I used to write lists of resolutions or goals – and I think these can be useful. But I prefer to try to narrow those goals down to a theme – or, as I’ve heard it described – one little word. This year, my word came easily – and here it is (presented on my new toy, a lego dots noticeboard):

 

That’s right – my word is healthy. And what it means to me is that I would like to focus on all areas of my my health – physical and mental health of course, but also making healthy choices about boundaries, and time, and the way I treat myself, others and the planet.  I started the year with a few niggling little physical things – back pain, fatigue left over from a bout of Covid, some stress and sleep problems, a feeling that there are things left undone in my writing and academic work, a sense that I sometimes don’t commit fully to being present with people I love – and  a hope that I can do more to change the world, in small or bigger ways. I feel that my word can serve as a direction for the choices I make and the things that I do and I have propped my sign next to my desk so that I can see it and be reminded on a daily basis.

So here’s to a healthy year – for me, for you and for the whole world.

What I Read in December

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It’s the last day of December which means a wrap up of my reading for the month. I read 8 books, a number which surprised me because I spent lots of time with family this month, and also napped more, so still managing 8 books. was not a bad achievement. Here’s what I read.

Books for Children

    1. The Swiss Family Robinson, by Johann David Wyss. I’ve been enjoying listening to children’s classics through Audible – until I reached this one. I am sorry to report that,  while I knew my old favourites would be dated, and therefore would hold some values that just don’t hold up to contemporary life, this is the first one where I struggled to keep listening.  The idea of a family being shipwrecked and then having a survival adventure should allow me to overcome some of my concerns – but it didn’t. I won’t list them all here, but the attitudes to women and to ‘savages’ (who don’t even appear in the book) as well as mindless violence against animals (as opposed to hunting for survival)  mean that I wouldn’t recommend this book to a younger reader without a lot of room to discuss and interrogate.  This article is a critique of the film version, but still covers some of the same concerns I had.

Raggedy Ann Stories (Raggedy Ann)  2. Raggedy Ann Stories and Raggedy Andy Stories, by Johnny Gruelle (Audible). Another audio book of a classic, and much more enjoyable. Toys that come alive and have adventures is a far cry from the above, though, being written over a century ago, there are some aspects that are outdated.

3.  Mr Dumby’s Duck, by Colin Thiele, illustrated by Mark Wilson. Written by one of Australia’s best loved authors, and published in the same year he died, this is a cute little story about a man and his much-loved duck – who also proves very handy as a guard-duck. I rediscovered this one as I rearranged my bookshelves, and am glad.

4. Accidentally Kelly StreetAccidentally Kelly Street, by Briony Stewart with lyrics by Tim O’Connor (Affirm Press, 2022). I have been very excited about this picture book for a long time – knowing that Briony was working on it, and having adored this song since it was released. But I did not predict just how amazingly she has interpreted the song, depicting a family making a new start in Kelly Street. You have to see it for real to see why it took my breath away. Go and buy it, and share and discuss it.

5. Sea HorseSea Horse, by Bruce Pascoe (Magabala Books, 2015). This was my last read for the year and a good one to finish on. I have been consciously working to ensure I read more books by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, our first nations people, both to educate myself and to ensure I have a really diverse collection to share.  This is the story  of Jack, who, on a camping trip with his family, spots a sunken boat under the water, beginning an adventure with mystery and excitement.

 

Books for Adults

 

    1. Tell Me Lies, by J. P Pomare (audible, 2022)  This is the second book of this author I have listened to. Psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns.

To Teach: The Journey, in Comics2. To Teach: The Journey, in Comics by William Ayers and Ryan Alexander-Tanner (Teachers College Press, 2010). This was a gift from my boss – very appropriate given that we both work in the School of Education. Possibly the best book I’ve seen for teachers, and student-teachers – and it’s a comic! Just such a wonderful way to explore the highs and lows of teaching, but, more importantly, the importance of imaginative teaching. Love it!

3.The Wrong Sister The Wrong Sister, by Fiona Palmer (Hachette, 2022). I picked this one up purely because of the tile – having four sisters, the title tickled my fancy. Not my usual kind of read  but a good December read, with an exploration of family, trauma and romance, set in Western Australia’s north.

This brings my total for the year to 169, which is 16 more than 2021. On reflection, while I am happy with this total, my goal for 2023 will be not to read more, but to ensure I really enjoy reading – because I set myself a numerical goal, I did find myself sometimes feeling guilty if I did not get through ‘enough’ books, and had to remind myself that it wasn’t a race. So, we shall see how I go in 2023. I do have an enormous to read pile, and so many books I want to  read – so I may still reach a big number. But I am going to also give myself permission to put a book aside if I’m not enjoying it, or to read slowly  to really savour a good one.

 

Poetry Friday: I’m Excited!

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It’s Poetry Friday and I’m excited.

Firstly, I’m excited because it is Friday and, instead of wishing I had time to put together a Poetry Friday post I am actually here doing it. Huzzah! Life has been chaotic this year, mostly good-chaotic, but this has not left as much time as I’d like for fun things like Poetry Friday. So I am glad to be here today.

Secondly, I am excited because my poetry book for teachers, Teaching Poetry for Pleasure and Purpose won an award! Taddah!

 

It was really  lovely to hear that this resource, with lots of teaching ideas, background information and, of course poems – by myself and lots of other wonderful poets, took out this category. Hopefully this means it will end up being seen by more teachers keen to use poetry in their classrooms.

Lastly, I’m excited because today, George is coming!!! Who is George? Thanks for asking!

THIS is George:

And those are my arms holding him when I met him last Sunday.  And today, George is coming to live with ME. And I am like a child in my excitement. There has been a dog-sized hole in my home since early last year, when my much loved Jonah died. George won’t replace him –  you can’t replace a much loved family member. But now that I have had time, I am ready to love again – and boy is George loveable. He is as soft and silky as he looks, and those eyes are just adorable.

To celebrate these three things: Poetry Friday, the book award, and a brand new puppy,  it’s appropriate to share a poem from the book which is about – of course – dogs.  This is my Definition Poem (you can read more about those here) for the word ‘dog’.

 

Happy George Day! And happy Poetry Friday!

I’m off to visit my Poetry Friday friends while I wait for it to be George-time. You can find the Poetry Friday round up here on Sarah’s blog.

sallymurphy.com.au