DID you know that Kilmore East resident Joshua Rask has a hidden talent? Well, now you do.
“At an early age I was taught how to express my emotions through writing and poerty,” he said.
“I am passionate about the help our Country Fire Authority Volunteers have given and I wanted to say thanks.”
Mr Rask told the Review that his family felt the fear of bushfires on Black Saturday, 2009.
“The fires were close to our house in Butlers Road [Kilmore East] and I know the feeling of relief when the CFA comes. We have SES volunteer friends. too.”
The poem below is a tribute to firefighters.
We thank you deeply
by Joshua Rask
When the world feels fragile, shaking at its seams,
And nightmares replace our ordinary dreams,
You rise without question, without delay
Running toward danger while others turn away.
Through choking smoke and walls of flame,
Through twisted wreckage and pouring rain,
With hearts trained steady and spirits strong,
You step into moments where things go wrong.
You carry the weight of lives unknown,
Each call a story, each cry a tone,
Of someone’s worst day, a moment of fear,
And still you arrive, fully present, right here.
You face what we hope we’ll never see,
The cost of chaos, humanity’s plea,
Yet beneath the armour, the lights, the gear,
Is a beating heart that feels every tear.
Long after the sirens fade from sound,
And quiet once more settles the ground,
You carry the echoes, the losses, the pain,
Then stand back up and do it again.
You miss the dinners, the warmth of home,
The moments we take for granted alone,
Trading comfort for duty, rest for resolve,
Choosing to serve, to protect, to solve.
So thank you, brave souls, for the lives you defend,
For stranger and neighbour, foe and friend,
For risking tomorrow to give us today,
For holding the line in every way.
Our words may fall short, our thanks feel small,
But know you are seen, honoured by all.
Your courage is written in smoke and light,
Guardians of life, in the darkest night.
Mr Rask posted the poem onto the Kilmore, Wallan and local community page on Thursday last week and a community member shared it with the Review.


