Bimblebox Nature Refuge Quilt, Maureen Cooper

Queensland Poet Brett Dionysius has penned this poem about the Bimblebox Nature Refuge Quilt.

Maureen Cooper’s Quilt (Bimblebox Nature Reserve)

The coal temple’s curtain has been ripped asunder.

A deposit the size of Germany lies dormant, a fallow

dragon that on awakening will fire up its hot breath,

its stench wilting barbed wire grass like an incendiary

bomb melting the stalks of men’s eyes on the Western

front. Embroidered birds & marsupials are a truce flag.

A royal sigil, as if the nature reserve had a divine right

to exist. A pennant that signals either advance or retreat.

A blanket to wrap the wounded in, a hoisted sail that

catches the nearest drift, if favourable winds pick up.

In Mackay the quilt is taken down like a crushed enemy’s

insignia; a toppled golden eagle in a black & white film.

Machines dig, machines stitch too; humans appliqué

tininess to the bigger picture. The future wins a raffle.

Brett Dionysius

Some Background on the quilt:

Long time Bimblebox friend and supporter Maureen Cooper lovingly created a beautiful quilt about the Bimblebox Nature Refuge.  The quilt toured some of  Queensland’s agricultural shows, finishing it’s show circuit at the Brisbane Ekka.   This quilt attracted some controvesy along the way.  You can find out more in Kathleen Nonnan’s Courier Mail opinion piece here.

This beautiful Quilt was raffled to raise money for The Bimblebox Alliance.  Click here to find out more about this quilt.