When Yvette Holt talks about her recently released book, Anonymous Premonition, she speaks of it not as a collection of words or stories, but as a beloved child.
The Aboriginal author, a member of the Bidjara Nation (central Queensland), refers to those who had a hand in the book’s production as “midwives and surgeons” in the “birth” of her poetic debut, which was launched at the State Library of Queensland on March 15.
“The collection of 47 poems is finally out there, that in itself is a mixture of excitement and release, though, maternally speaking, I retain AP’s knotted umbilical cord of soulful feasting and creative bingeing,” Ms Holt said.
Anonymous Premonition is the product of Ms Holt winning the 2005 David Unaipon Award, which includes a guarantee of publication through The University of Queensland Press (UQP) and $15,000 prize money and is open to previously unpublished Indigenous authors.
The book deals with themes such as growing up in Inala, resilience, relationships, womanhood and identity through free-form verse.
Dr Anita Heiss, who launched Anonymous Premonition, has described Ms Holt’s work as “poetic activism”, a description Ms Holt embraces wholeheartedly.
“It is a painful reminder that for every six Aboriginal women only one will live beyond their 65th birthday, can you imagine how that harrowing statistic impacts on my life and the life of my people? So of course, why wouldn’t I politicise my poetry to educate others?” Ms Holt said.
“I would encourage other writers to express themselves as poetic activists in whatever area brings about positive change for racial equality and social justice.
“I think poetic activism is a deserving separate genre; an uncensored voice which should represent the people, all people.”
Ms Holt already has a second manuscript of poems underway, entitled Always My Lover, and has recently begun writing a compilation of short autobiographical stories, which she hopes to also have published.
As well as writing, Ms Holt lectures on Aboriginal women’s studies at The University of Queensland and works as a researcher for AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource in the Black Words: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Writers and Storytellers subset.
Anonymous Premonition is available now at the UQ Bookstore and independent bookstores throughout Brisbane.
Media: Meredene Hill at UQP (07 3365 2606) or Tegan Taylor at UQ Communications (07 3365 2659).
