Poet who knows it

A NARRE Warren poet has received a high commendation in the Australia Unity Bryan Kelleher Literary Award.
Ed Walker, who won first prize in last year’s Literary Award, won the award for his bush poem Unsung and Silent- a tribute to mothers as the unsung and silent heroes of our nation.
“I was in Mildura when I received an unexpected call from Australian Unity to say that I’d won a ‘Highly Commended’ prize for my poem,” Mr Walker said.
“Of course I was pretty excited, but I was also quite surprised. I was fortunate to have won the previous year’s competition and I honestly thought right from the start that it would be impossible to gain a prize two years running. So in a way it was as good as last year’s win.”
The award is in its second year and received more than 500 entries from all over Australia, up from about 330 entries last year.
The award has received more entries than any other bush poem competition.
Australian Unity Chairman Alan Castleman said the award provided a great opportunity to celebrate Australian bush poetry. “Australian Unity has a long and proud history of supporting Australian heritage and culture. Our national competition allows us to honour and preserve the style of verse made famous by Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson so that it can be enjoyed by future generations,” Mr Castleman said.
“Ed’s poem epitomises Australian bush poetry and I congratulate him on such an entertaining poem.”