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THE SILENCE OF TWO HUNDRED - a tribute to the victims of the Victorian bushfires
February 2009
Raymond J Warren

Lone bird flying o’er the land, not knowing whence or where,
Her mate is gone midst flame and wind that she could not share.
Their nesting tree where was it now? It surely has not tumbled,
Only blackened sticks below and the silence of two hundred.

It seems like many years ago, when voices laughed and spoke,
Before the heat that fierce wind and the cloudy choking smoke.
Where Goanna ran up trees of green and Koalas without number
But now ’tis quiet in the bush, with the silence of two hundred.

Once they lived together all, in bush land so serene,
When normal rain kept it there, growing evergreen.
But then the savagery of drought, of bush too little lumbered
The terror witnessed only by, the silence of two hundred

The orange glow has gone now all the birds have gone to rest,
A haze is on horizon and black silhouettes ride each crest.
The air still and cooling and the earth is ere encumbered,
For nothing now will ever change, the silence of two hundred.

Lone bird flying o’er the land not knowing whence or where
Her mate is gone midst flame and wind, that she did not share.
No more there will she nest again, for from the air she tumbled,
To sleep there in the blackened ash, with the silence of two hundred.

ORGANISING A FUNERAL
Information from the Office of Fair Trade http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Consumers/Buying_services/Funerals/Organising_a_funeral.html

TRIBUTE FUNERALS
A well known Tasmanian speedway legend was farewelled in August 2008 with his coffin leaving the service on the back of a Mack truck. Neville Harper was regarded as one of the state’s best speedway stars, having twice won the sport’s Brownlow Medal equivalent, the Jacko Award. Many friends donned racing shirts to pay tribute to their friend.

And five of his closest racing mates participated in a sports style interview as part of the service.

Another Tassie farmer wanted his mates to take his coffin on the back of his old Ford ute while they fed his cows, enroute to his burial. His mates obliged.

Today, more and more people are detailing their funeral wishes in preparation for their death, according to Joy Allen from Funeral Celebrants Association Australia.

“Such tributes and send offs are important for both family and friends,” she explained. “A meaningful funeral can go beyond the traditional readings, prayers, music and eulogies.”

Media wanting a full copy of this FCAA release should email funeralcelebrants@gmail.com

LIVING FAREWELLS or Living Wakes
We have all heard comments like ‘John would have loved his funeral’ or ‘it’s such a shame John wasn’t alive to hear and see this.” Now John and others can enjoy and participate with the staging of a Living Farewell – the celebration of the life of a person with them there, centre stage, to share it with family and friends.

A Living Farewell gives the person suffering a terminal illness, the chance to bid farewell to family and friends in a relaxed and happy atmosphere. For family and friends, A Living Farewell can make the grief process a little easier when they reflect that their loved one celebrated their life one last time with family and friends in a way that they wanted.

“A Living Farewell is equally as important for the one who is terminally ill, as it is for their loved ones left behind,” according to the Funeral Celebrants Association Australia spokesperson Joy Allen.

A Byron Bay identity decided to hold a Living Wake, which he titled his Awakening, when he discovered he had months to live. The event included much joke telling and even pole dancing. In his words ‘I’ve never had so many people wanting to dance with me and kiss me, he said afterward. It was one of the best nights of my life. ‘

And apparently those closest to him said that he would have also approved of the party after his death - a procession where friends passed a decorated rugby ball – containing his ashes – between them, all the way to the pub.

Another example was the Hon Dr Reginald (Spot) Turnbull, former Senator for Tasmania and former Mayor of Launceston. He indulged in a series of Living Wakes because he said he would not spend money on parties he could not attend.

Media wanting a full copy of this FCAA release should email funeralcelebrants@gmail.com

YOU’RE NEAR A song by Amy Helmouth
A young Seattle USA based songwriter, Amy Helmouth has offered our celebrants use of her debut song titled You’re Near, recorded in July 2008. Amy wrote the lyrics after losing several family members in a short period of time.
She said: “I hope this song will touch the hearts of those feeling the loss of a loved one.”

Congratulations to Amy and we thank her for sharing “You’re Here” with us. To listen to Amy’s song and download it, go to http://www.amyhelmuth.com

Funeral Celebrants Association Australia Inc (FCAA) Inc is a not-for-profit, professional development, training and promotional support network for funeral celebrants across Australia.

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