Why Write a Book:

When I was younger, I loved writing. I wasn’t particularly good at it, but I found joy in escaping into words to express my thoughts and feelings. I would write daily journal entries or reflective pieces.

I then transitioned to poetry and compiled a collection of poems. While they weren’t groundbreaking, I enjoyed the process of writing them. One day, I crafted a poem about litter—a topic that deeply concerned me at the time. I couldn’t understand how anyone could simply drop trash on the ground. To my surprise, I later opened the local monthly magazine and discovered my poem published there, credited to My English teacher had featured it in the school newsletter, and the editor had picked it up from there. That was my first taste of being an anonymous published author, and I was a little chuffed.

At that time, I had placed publishing a book on my bucket list, but that idea fell by the wayside as I focused my energy on the creative performing arts and becoming a teacher.

However, anyone who is a creative soul knows that if you don’t water your garden, it will wither. The same goes for creative people; if you’re not tapping into your creativity, you can feel a bit lost.

Although it has taken me more than ten years to write and develop my book, it has been a rewarding journey that nurtured my creative side. To all the creatives out there, keep growing by exploring different avenues. Creativity comes in many forms—find the one that nourishes your soul!

I found my poem about litter, written in 1991 and published in the ‘This week in Falls Creek & Mt Beauty’. Please, no judgment—I was in high school at the time!

LITTER:

Do you ever stop and look around you?
And see all the rubbish upon the ground.
Do you ever wonder who put it there
Or don’t you really ever care.
Well, this little poem is to show,
That all that litter must go,
As it’s effecting this world we are living in.
Because people are too lazy to put it in the bin.

Currently, when you look at this place
It truthfully is a disgrace,
Putting rubbish in the bin is for your own sake.
Tell me, how much effort does it take.

Make Mt Beauty live up to its name
Dropping little is a serious problem,
NOT A GAME.

Do you realise that if you get caught,
Putting rubbish on the group of any sort,
You could be reported and get a fine.
So think before you drop rubbish next time.

Anon.