The 2018 Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize Buy this issue Results from the 2018 Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize, Australia’s only open-age Indigenous poetry prize for an unpublished poem. With poems from Brenda Saunders, Claire G Coleman and Yvette Henry Holt. Issue Contents Editorial About the prize Editorial team Poetry Prize Highly Commended: Descendant, MABO and Woman Jilian Boyd Bowie Highly Commended: Mother(s) Native Tongue Yvette Henry Holt Highly Commended: I am the road Claire G Coleman Highly Commended: Waiali Possum Cloak Julie Jedda Janson Winner: Quandongs Brenda Saunders Browse the issue: Editorial First published in Overland Issue 228 Published in Overland Issue The 2018 Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize · About the prize Editorial team Established in 2016, Queensland Poetry Festival’s Oodgeroo Noonuccal Indigenous Poetry Prize is Australia’s only open-age Indigenous poetry prize for an unpublished poem. Named in honour of Oodgeroo Noonuccal, the first Aboriginal Australian to publish a book of verse, after receiving permission from Oodgeroo’s family and in close consultation with Quandamooka Festival. Poetry Prize First published in Overland Issue 228 Published in Overland Issue The 2018 Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize · Highly Commended: Descendant, MABO and Woman Jilian Boyd Bowie My voice echoes the cries of my forefathers My feet trek truths of my ancestors I rise in the essence of my predecessors First published in Overland Issue 228 Published in Overland Issue The 2018 Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize · Highly Commended: Mother(s) Native Tongue Yvette Henry Holt we are thieves of sunlight mother and i, soaking in the seasonal crusts First published in Overland Issue 228 Published in Overland Issue The 2018 Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize · Highly Commended: I am the road Claire G Coleman My grandfather was the bush, the coast, salmon gums, hakeas, blue-grey banskias Wind-whipped water, tea-black estuaries, sun on grey stone My grandfather was born on Country, was buried on Country First published in Overland Issue 228 Published in Overland Issue The 2018 Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize · Highly Commended: Waiali Possum Cloak Julie Jedda Janson By waragal nightfall, Koori ngurra, Black’s camp. Firelight - tree flickering. Sounds of singing, gumleaf playing, trilling. Arriving in her true country, calling her, singing her. First published in Overland Issue 228 Published in Overland Issue The 2018 Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize · Winner: Quandongs Brenda Saunders I remember days at La Pa going out with the Aunties to look for quandongs Previous Issue 231 Winter 2018 Next Issue 232 Spring 2018