Barbara Gurney – June 6 2021

Barbara writes fiction for adults and children, and free verse poetry. Her writing explores emotions and life experiences, often of the ordinary person. After more than 15 years of writing and editing a newsletter for a community-based organisation, she joined the Gosnells Writer’s’ Circle in 2008 and Writefree Women’s Writing Group at KSP Writers Centre in 2009. She is the current Secretary of the Gosnells Writers’ Circle and a sub-editor of their magazine Showcase. In her non-writing life Barbara has been a drummer (she beat AC/DC’s front man Bon Scott in a drumming competition in 1963), bagpiper, swimmer (she has held the 50 metre breaststroke records at AUSSSIE – 45-50yr olds), debt collector and secretary. Barbara’s other works include the novels Road to Hanging Rock, By Darkened Shore, The House on Redhill Corner, Lessons of the Universe with Imogene Constantine, The Promise, and Purple, a story of the lasting effects of a child’s death from meningococcal.

Footprints of a Stranger
Ginninderra Press, 2015; ISBN 9781740277679
“The debut collection of short, always accessible poems from Barbara Gurney focuses on life experiences and philosophical musings. These range from the struggle to save a beached whale in ‘The Sigh That Reaches Us All’, to ‘Commitment’, describing the bond between a father and son, to the matter-of-fact exploration of ‘Morning Tea’, where “moments (are) stolen from an ordinary life”. The tenor of the poetry is quiet and often mournful; moments of joy are precious and recalled in the midst of loss and the memories of a past life – likened, in the final poem, to “a garden that once was”.” – The West Australian

Life’s Shadows
Ginninderra Press, 2015; ISBN 9781740279406

Face the light and let the shadows fall behind. Life’s Shadows continues the melancholy journey begun in Footprints of a Stranger. Barbara’s poetry expresses others’ hurt with a caring voice and a message of hope. Grieve with ‘The Ticket Home’, overcome fear with ‘Conquering’ and finally, ‘Sing Loudly’.