Published in Overland Issue 239 Winter 2020 · Poetry A matter of lives Tony Birch murder reduced to counting bodies naming names dates and days processioning through plagued streets grief – a spectacle feeding news your life – no life – what life – which and whose fucking life matters? blank headlines do not shed tears or hear the death of a living heart a black woman asleep on a train is no news is good news until the day arrives and she becomes a fact of death Read the rest of Overland 239 If you enjoyed this piece, buy the issue Or subscribe and receive four brilliant issues for a year Tony Birch Tony Birch is the author of Shadowboxing, Father’s Day, Blood, The Promise and Ghost River. He is currently research fellow in the Moondani Balluk Academic Centre at Victoria University. More by Tony Birch › 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 6 November 20246 November 2024 · Poetry TV Times Kate Lilley I try out for Can Can after school / knowing I’m not cut out for the high kicks / Ballads chansons show tunes ok / I can belt out Judy Garland and all the songs from Oliver / “Who Will Buy”/”As Long as He Needs Me” / Wher-e-e-e-ere is love 25 October 20244 November 2024 · Poetry Phar Lap Ender Başkan we have a horse in our shed dad look dad me and gabe are feeding him grass he likes grass he eats grass and chaff dad gabe said his name is phar lap dad come on phar lap! i got some grass for yooooou!
