Lionel Fogarty’s acceptance speech at the Queensland Literary Awards

In September 2023, Murri man and leading Australian poet Lionel Fogarty was announced winner of the Judith Wright Calanthe Award for Poetry for his collection, Harvest Lingo. Below, watch a recording or read a transcription of Fogarty’s acceptance speech, which he delivered in person on the night, as well as a new poem, ‘Earth writes back to forward’.

Been a long while for me to get Queensland recognition for my word works that shows art, shortlisted here and there hey
I was a bit hesitant yet where respect gives to someone like the illiterate concentration place I have survived
I accept this award as a gate for more, cause my next story poems are written as better to present to the hoped state peoples institutions
Like who did not get published or not won
Are absolutely superior to me and my unions:
But I accept the award as the money will help me get things I need for more hours songs  and the house and dance and stories written from, real appropriated in accordancy
Oh all the mutual harvesting linguists respect as approach do change
There’s been many a friend that I appreciate getting me to this time in space, those who gave solidarity when I wrote well once. I have an original writing worth $1,500 dollars to the state library dem still have it, after no neo or colonialist gave nothing in over 150 years, I keep thinking I won an award
Celebratory for a change to say I can write about overseas concern for our struggle Aborigine Aus
A written published needs entwine impartial as poets are coordinations to more poets who now appreciate in my new works are again businesses must grow engaging, so thanks Copyright Agency art and the judges for again seeing my dedication once more resemblance and rememberance a book as a gap, but which sound art touch feeling of laugh, when sad jail bad days
You all will known clarative general conversation makes the huge higher education being personal when things not political shows poetries usage as power in mind, heart and ran out of the dance of polices .
But dreaming very hard to be written aloud as the facts are timelessness that’s deeply why like poems when understood. When land, cultures begin taken away and not given back, theirs is a fighter fight wars are words to bring down oppression
Life in colour holds so much tongues, comforting, sensitive voices with the modern cultural talk as written yet still needs tranquility sensationalism in its complexion. House me now to Queensland literatacy as to inspiration black young Australian persons.
But how now when invasionist economical words of sell your soul to the publishers.
There’s lots of stages in the subjection to do
The struggle as challenge to preform more old about laminating for the young workshop role a moment for times to began ultra anti war saying the planet is a first class pen but painting uniqueness completion
United Nations world wide as to combining indigenous written language to garden growth
My intellectualcame by learning watching holding on to gifted memories not just my family, so triple secrets as relentless anybody and everybody sit to judge for better leeways
But first nation’s networks are I was I was always identified within
Still thanks to the hidden panel for the decisions made by you, must of been different cause I’m a different writer I form
Actually I did not want to be chosen, for all my books really this book harvesting lingo as a witty front line bringing a lighthouse. Writers change things not so much the judgement on the work, but when an action off arts brings solutions
In my conclusion, there is not the winner pride in my life’s cost to write on an art words to pathways
I servant to Ngunda postion to wise live power and equally being not a subjective to any subject society
Yet we all routines to find a common discipline to over one injustices
Recognition is not a show off thing
It’s the importance
Looking out, I am after to dominate this function authoritative experiences Haha
Mmm by my define win
My Mums and Dads of ancestors, dead and alive would be proud of my meeting people without face on face
But in the round fire camp conform as acceptable as outspoken I am
Articulate this thing done for a flower to grow trees, memory of militants black red and golden
Star butterfly social gathering
Yes give it a lingo and go by while in print
Yoway everybody
Go buy it
19 August 2023

Earth writes back to forward

First family had older men and women
Grandmothers where will them be without grandfathers
Love telling story word both ways
So it was hard on each side
Age made a travel of memory
Marriage big land sea coast
Bed rooms house made the eyes speak one on one
Walking on different oath gave a different longline face onto grandmothers head lives
Now only us, young blood belong them lives
There sound song to change are gone
There music dead voice is are gone
Now we gonna be grandmothers now have we become grandfathers
Grandmothers sat once around fire
Paint now the story, after dead been dead
Now speak the living

Mature the country mature young mind
Mature the country mature’s our heart
Whisper land as said country needs and hand legs bodies to network blood heart
The country everyday writes back
The country everyday read the living
That country heart stopped cause value taken out off the desert people’s land as dance song singing in line as a sand
Them children who did not go school, denied country air
Life’s age old began small aft now how old matter when wise peace unity into a bodies
Freelance the costed creative explorers
Choices powers in mind
Let me sleep without heavy thoughts
Let me awake without a headache
Leave my waiting on roofs for fly by plane to see + smell

Choice a writers to lovers who lose all country as law, rules obeyed
All country’s have parents upbringing
All country’s space a same bush
Rivers wash dish life build
The sea as to be seen as tree’s first family are the governments
First parents are the powers realises town winner class which as matters