Published in Overland Issue 220 Spring 2015 · Fair Australia Prize Glossary Mitchell Welch Casual [Kazh-ooh-uh l]; adjective 1. From the Latin cadere, meaning fall. As in: the employer had a casual Attitude to ladder safety. As in: The human person fell casually off The ladder, and lied casually down In pooling brain blood, not moving Very casually. That there never Was a ladder in the first place, just The casual idea of a ladder – reach. As in: having fallen from one casual position To another, surely – there are no complaints Here, everything is so casual. And compliant. 2. From the equally Latin casus, meaning event, As in: workers gathered casually in the square And demanded the language of oppression be Casually dismantled, casually held to account For all the casualties in its relentless causality. As in: every casual meeting is a chance to say Words that are events of human forbearance; Words that still belong to the people, casually. This poem is from Overland’s new print issue. Copies are available for individual purchase or by subscription. Mitchell Welch Mitchell Welch has lived in Brisbane, Melbourne and the Gold Coast, where has worked as a public servant, cemetery administrator and communications consultant. He is currently based in Hobart. His first book, Vehicular Man, is forthcoming as part of the Rabbit Poets Series. More by Mitchell Welch › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays 4 December 201919 December 2019 · Prizes Fair Australia Prize 2019: the winners Editorial team Announcing the final results for the ten categories of the 2019 Fair Australia Prize. Hearty congratulations to all! 13 November 201919 December 2019 · Announcement Fair Australia Prize 2019: the shortlists Editorial team We are pleased to announce the shortlists for the ten categories of the 2019 Fair Australia Prize.
