We observed for years
Your ships
White men on our beaches
Lack of humanity
And
Breaches
Against blacks

We knew you were coming with intent

I heard an urban white man speak
Knowingly
About we black bastards
And
The troubles we caused
His mob
The knowledge we lacked about city life

And

Forty years later
I heard him again
Praising our black souls
As we saved his white arse from an unforgiving bush
Unknowingly

And

A thousand miles from water

He loved the sight of us black bastards

Standing there

Your little toes connect

Tenuously

To heaven on earth

Where a million black feet have walked
Sacredly before
And
It’s that season
Again

Sweet black child
When

Rain makes mud
Puddles make pools
Pools make lakes
And black kids play
Birds and animals
Thrive
Again

With wild flowers

Only ruined
Because

The toads are coming

Blacks know it
Whites know it
Governments know it
Developers blow it

Aboriginal Land

Blacks own it
Whites own it
Governments Zone it
Developers rape it

Aboriginal Land

Blacks protect it
Whites wreck it
Governments tax it
Developers take it

Aboriginal Land

Blacks leave it
Whites steal it
Governments approve it
Developers change it

Aboriginal Land
Lost

Her blackest face a picture waiting
A portrait
Of sadness
Her broadest smile a treat
A delight
Her age just a guess
A smaller issue
For her
Her future so unknown
Today
A shameful day
And
Her father is just a memory
Of metal bars
Cold words
And
Her mother so depressed by alcohol and despair
Confirms
She has lost a confidante
A family
And love
A tragedy
But still she smiles
In hope
Of a chance
Her courage so immeasurable
Her heroism beckons
That
Will one day save her people?
Little bright eyes

Mr Cook
I want you to come back
And
Sail once more Sir
Into Botany Bay
And
I want you to see what you have done
With old English love
And cheap gifts
For my black people
My beautiful black people
And
Then I want you to sail away again
Sadly
To a death by blacks
Albeit Tahiti
Albeit justice

Outside a pub I sit
You claim is my home
Cos’ I’m pissed as
And
Wi’ black skin won’t roam

You say to the fella
I’m not worth two bob
Just black and worthless
A
Drunken slob

And dole day you say
Is my highlight each week?
You whites have your say
We
Blacks don’t speak

Sober we’re black
And drunk the same
You built the pubs
And
We’re to blame

I’m as black as
And
Australian
I’m as proud as
And
Black as you are white
Opportunity has come
My way
Rarely
As it might for you my friend

My right to be black
Must never be questioned
By Whiteman
My right to die
For my land and my people
And my right to maintain the fight
Must always be respected by Whiteman
Till my death

There is darkness
A black hole
So deep
An anger of diabolical consequence
Still rising
All around Australia
Portrayed
By blacks
Good blacks
Bad blacks
Poor blacks
Sick blacks
Working blacks
Idle blacks
Incarcerated blacks
Free blacks
Angry blacks
And these black men will rise
In unity
In pride
Vanguards for their people
A Survival of race
And hope will come
One day soon
So desperate
To save their own kind
Their children
Their culture
From urban destruction
Banishment
And
Wanton genocide
At the hands of white madness
White politics
Un-sorry
For what
Just a misunderstanding
By mind gorillas
Gone mad