Arsenic Flower by Dakota Feirer

A breathtaking debut poetry collection from black&write! fellowship winner Dakota Feirer.

‘Where wisdom made me there’s a ceremony ground

piling with dead leaves. So much, I lit a cultural fire by my porch

so my feet wouldn’t bleed. If this colony is a house

its doorstep is where I sleep.’

Igniting his love for people and Country in a potent poetry collection that acts as both spear and shield, Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr man Dakota Feirer explores the legacy of generational trauma and cultural wisdom of First Nations people. With dazzling imagery and rhythms inspired by lo-fi hip-hop, these poems confront the violence of colonialism that echoes still in the complexities of blak masculinity. Drawing on cultural memories sprung from stolen Country, bloodstained soil, broken promises and poisoned waterholes, Feirer’s words roar and whisper as he gives voice to silenced histories.

Arsenic Flower is a stunning mosaic of intimate poetry that honours the past and carves tools for the future. These words are spears pointing toward truth and shattering the myth that we are all equal on stolen land.

About the Author: Dakota Feirer is a First Nations Australian (Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr) storyteller with his work published in Overland literary journal, Wonderground journal, Rabbit Poetry and Australian Poetry. His work consists of poems, prose and spoken word performances that engage with Country, culture, resurgence and manhood. Dakota believes in healing Country and our communities through art and storytelling.

30 Sep 2025

Arsenic Flower by Dakota Feirer ISBN 9780733653636