Judith Wright

Born in 1915 on her father’s station in Wallamumbi, New South Wales, Judith Wright grew up to be both a well-known Australian poet and an environmental activist, a passion that inspired many of her works. Her recurring themes include the resilience of the human spirit; the constant struggle of people living in adversity and misfortune; the land on and around where she lives; and the plight of the Australian Aborigines and environment (LearningCert.net).

‘How deeply the active and contemplative may combine in a poet … she grew up with a passionate love and involvement in the life of the country and all its creatures, which is at the root both of her poetry and her political involvement.’ (Hope).

One particular poem to be written with the environmental theme was “Night After Bushfire”.

Through the use of extensive imagery, the poem evokes a very clear picture of a bushland or forest devastated by fire. The bleak and black environment is easily imagined through phra...