Award winning poet: Anthony Turner with the certificate he received in the Cancer Council Victoria Arts Awards.
A POEM by 12-year- old Anthony Turner of Foster has been se- lected for exhibition at the internationally ac- claimed Cancer Council Victoria Arts Awards.
Anthony, who wrote his poem, ‘Cancer is evil,’ as a tribute to his aunt, Lorraine Tiziani,
who is battling cancer, received a Highly Commended Award in the Youth Writing sec- tion.
“Short and sweet and to the point” is how his teacher, Janelle Rathjen, described An- thony’s poem, which he wrote last year with her
encouragement. At the time he was in grade six at Foster Primary School. He is now in year seven at South Gippsland Sec- ondary College. Anthony won an inter- school poetry competi- tion with the poem ini- tially, including a $50 voucher, and now he has won again!
This is his poem, writ- ten in the Japanese ‘T anka’ style. T anka po- ems are short, lyrical poems structured in 31 syllables arranged in groupsof5,7,5,7and7 syllables, in a two-part form with the first part in 5, 7, 5, and the second part in 7 and 7 syllables:
“Cancer is evil
Aunty fighting for her life
Chemotherapy
Feelings crushed as hair falls out
Two months off to live her life.”
The last line, Anthony explained, referred to his aunty taking a holiday.
He is looking forward to attending the opening of the Cancer Council Victoria Arts Awards ex- hibition in Melbourne on July 11. He has been in- vited to bring two guests and plans to bring his
mother and aunt – and perhaps his grand- mother, who entered the poem in the awards!
Cancer Council spokesperson Irene Manitta said the Arts Awards exhibition brings together the most out- standing artworks in a powerful and moving display.
“The Cancer Council Victoria Arts Awards ex- hibition provides a crea- tive voice for profes- sional and amateur art- ists touched by cancer and will move and in- spire all who see it,” Ms Manitta said.
“Each artist tells their personal cancer story with honesty and dignity. By sharing their experi- ence through creative expression, entrants have a unique opportu- nity to remember loved ones, help others under- stand and provide a sense of hope for those affected by cancer.”
This year’s theme is ‘Lost and Found’, and the exhibition show- cases works from en- trants of all ages through visual art, poetry and prose, film, indigenous art and youth and chil- dren’s writing and art.
Judged by high profile
experts including T ony Wilson, Eleana T aylor and Arnold Zable, each artwork chosen for the exhibition is unique and gives insight into the many ways that cancer impacts our community.
The Arts Awards exhi- bition was recently se- lected winner of the Visual Arts and Exhibi- tions Award category of The Ability Media Inter- national Awards for its creative excellence and social relevance.
An official opening of the Arts Awards will be held at 120 Collins Street, Melbourne from 3pm to 5pm on Sunday 11 July. Free to the pub- lic, the Melbourne exhi- bition then runs until 30 July (opening hours 9am to 7pm Monday to Fri- day) before it tours Vic- toria, visiting Bendigo in August, Warrnambool in September and the Latrobe Valley in Novem- ber.
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