"The Garden"

Flowers of red silk and purple velvet grew
under the humming may-tree; the huge pines
made night across the grass, where the black snake
went whispering in its coils; and moving sunlight drew
copper fingers through the apple-trees.
Warm is the light the summer day refines,

and warm is she, whom life has made secure.
Walking slow along her garden ways,
a bee grown old at summer's end, she dips
and drinks that honey. All that we endure,
all that we meet and live through, gathers in our old age
and makes a shelter from the cold, she says.

Pulling around her shoulders her Joseph's-coat,
small bright bouquets reflected in her eyes,
this is the night's fit enemy and good friend
who has felt often his black hand at her throat;
and therefore my heart chose her, scarecrow, bag of old bones,
Eve walking with her snake and butterfly.

Judith Wright (permission of Meredith McKinney)

Women, Writing & Ideas

A two-day fusion seminar programme and innovative exhibition of quilts and textile art interpreting Australian women writers. Honouring the legacy of Judith Wright, art and activism, settler culture and its challenges, how we have learned to see, create the stories and make the connections with land and identity. There will be a special focus on the life and work of pioneer ecologist and writer Nuri Mass, and many other exciting themes.

Seminar Co-ordinator Suzanne Bellamy has invited Professor Elizabeth Webby and Prof. Diane Bell to host two forums, Saturday morning 31st March and Sunday morning 1st April, 10am til lunch.

Exhibition Co-ordinators Jill McLeod and June Weatherstone have invited artists nationally to enter a curated quilt exhibition ("Women's Words and Stitches") which is planned to travel after the event. The venue will be accessible all day both Saturday and Sunday for viewing and informal discussion as well as the scheduled forum times each morning. The forums will be held in the middle of the quilt exhibition.

Venue - Braidwood Ex Servicemen's Club, Coronation Avenue, Braidwood.
Costs - Participants can either purchase a Festival Ticket for all of the Two Fires Festival, or pay $10 for each of the forum sessions at the Club.

For all further information and more detailed programming, and for information about accommodation in Braidwood, please contact
Suzanne Bellamy (talks) 02 4842 8000
Jill McLeod (exhibition) 02 4842 2626 or
June Weatherstone 02 4842 2355