Sorry if this might be seen as repetitious but Glenny has asked me to keep the previous writes and highlight the areas we have altered with the reason why. This can then be used as a referral point that might help others down the track.
THE SPIRIT OF PEMULWUY REWRITE 3
I wonder will the spirit of Pemulwuy ever rest
with ancestors in longed for Dreamtime home? *** changed word to introduce the concept of ancestors/ancient ones
They cleaved his body, only shipped his head to England’s shore, *** a more descriptive word
his spirit trapped on earth alas must roam.
The Eora nation’s people to the settler’s great dismay
had fought colonization’s every plan, ***pronounced COL-on-iz AT-ion and not COL-on IZA-tion as I was
and Pemulwuy to Blighty was a sore and festered thorn; *** only needed 2 syllables and I had 3
who vowed ‘I never shall become white man.’ **2 syllable word required
They said he killed John McIntyre a gamekeeper well known
on Sydney’s shores out there at Botany. ******dropped Bay as only 2 syllables required
John McIntyre it seemed had killed some natives in the town,
revenge it seemed was plainly on display.
Now Pemulwuy put fire to use destroying farm and fence.
each angry squatter had him in his sight. **singular usage required to work in with night rhyme
He led one hundred men, including convicts, to the fray
and British troops responded overnight.
As far as Parramatta, Toongabbie to Hawkesbury,
they spoke his name but always with unease.
This warrior, like lightning struck, and he was fast and fierce
then seemed to disappear into the trees.
They called him Rainbow Warrior for ochre colours worn,
his gods it seemed kept safe his vital spot. ** This line is crook - I was not referring to his private bits
but his heart.working on itBut this time badly wounded straight to hospital he went.
In fetters he escaped though full of shot. ***rewrote the line to accommodate syllable count
The year eighteen o-one saw Pemulwuy proclaimed ‘outlaw’ *** outlaw is apparently one stressed/strong word and not stressed/unstressed.
his sudden death then caused his tribe dismay.
The Authorities had only sent his pickled head abroad **defining who it was who sent
as a trophy for a Joseph Banks’ display.
To capsulate the Governor sent letter with the ‘prize’ **rewrote the line
he wrote of Pemulwuy – fair as could be.
‘He was a brave and independent character although
a pest indeed throughout the colony.’ **I was using the actual words spoken as reported but it threw out the line so substituted with no loss of meaning.
In nineteen fifty Pemulwuy’s lost skull at last returned
to seek his Dreamtime, he would find the way.
But it ensued it was’nt his and then that skull was lost,
his tribe the Bidjigal still grieve today.
So where do Spirits linger when they remain bound to earth?
Are they in truth the black crows that we see?
A clever* man was Pemulwuy, through prison bars he flew.*
Perhaps one day his spirit will be free?
*Aboriginal people believed that the only way he could have escaped from Hospital when he was badly shot and in leg irons was to have become a crow and flown through the barred windows to freedom.
*Clever man. In an Aboriginal society, clever man is often a man who deals with the spiritual nature of things and even sorcery.
An incomplete body cannot enter the Dreamtime – hence much distress was caused to this tribe by his skull being in England and our Government was urged to have it returned , but the skull returned was not his and then that skull was lost. In 2010 Prince William undertook to see that Pemulwuys skull was returned by the UK to his Aboriginal relatives.
Many aboriginal people believe that black crows are the souls of earth trapped spirits who haven't passed over into the Dreamtime.
Pemulwuy - The Rainbow Warrior along with his mate Bennalong were two of Australia's first freedom fighters. The Greenpeace ship was named for him
THE SPIRIT OF PEMULWUY REWRITE 2
I wonder will the spirit of Pemulwuy ever rest ?
Or even find its longed for Dreamtime home?
They left his body, only shipped his head to England’s shore,
his spirit trapped on earth alas must roam.
The Eora nation’s people to the settler’s great dismay
had fought colonization’s every plan,
and Pemulwuy to Blighty was a sore and festering thorn;
who said ‘I never shall become white man.’
They said he killed John McIntyre a gamekeeper well known
on Sydney’s shores out there at Botany Bay.
John McIntyre it seemed had killed some natives in the town,
revenge it seemed was plainly on display.
Now Pemulwuy put fire to use to destroy farm and fence.
the angry squatters had him in their sight.
He led one hundred men, including convicts, to the fray
and British troops responded overnight.
As far as Parramatta, Toongabbie to Hawkesbury,
they spoke his name but always with unease.
This warrior like lightning struck and he was fast and fierce
then seemed to disappear into the trees.
They called him Rainbow Warrior for ochre colours worn,
his gods it seemed kept safe his vital spot.
But this time badly wounded straight to hospital he went.
With legs in irons he escaped full of shot.
The year eighteen oh one saw Pemulwuy proclaimed ‘outlaw’
his sudden death then caused his tribe dismay.
They only sent his pickled head across the sea to England
a trophy for a Joseph Banks display.
A letter written by the Governor went there with the ‘prize’
it said of Pemulwuy – fair as could be.
‘He was a brave and independent character although
a pest indeed to the whole colony.’
The skull of Pemulwuy returned at last in nineteen fifty
at last to Dreamtime he would find his way.
But it appears it was not his and then that skull was lost,
his tribe the Bidjigal still grieve today.
So where do Spirits linger when they remain bound to earth?
Are they in truth the black crows that we see?
A clever* man was Pemulwuy, through prison bars he flew.*
Perhaps one day his spirit will be free?
Maureen Clifford © 02/12
THE SPIRIT OF PEMULWUY ORIGINAL WRITE
Does the spirit of Pemulwuy rest easy with the ancient ones
or does it walk between the earth and dreamtime too?
For with his body mutilated and his head sent o’er to England,
seems his spirit has more wandering to do.
People of the Eora nation much too white settler’s vexation
had opposed their every move to colonize.
From eighteen seventeen ninety, Pemulway was a thorn to Blighty
‘I shall never become white man’ was his cry.
It was said he killed John McIntyre a gamekeeper of renown
on the shores of Sydney out at Botany Bay.
But John McIntyre ‘ twas said had killed some natives in the town
and was not the innocent victim as portrayed.
Pemulwuy used fire as weapon, destroying farms and fences,
angry settlers soon had him in their sights.
He led one hundred fighters some of whom were Irish convicts.
The British troops retaliated overnight.
From Parramatta to Toongabbie, all along the Hawkesbury river
the settlers spoke his name with great unease.
For this fierce and wily warrior, struck like lightning – quick and deadly
and then seemed to disappear into the trees.
He was called the Rainbow Warrior, for he wore all tribal colours
and English bullets couldn’t kill him. They had not.
But he was severely wounded and to hospital they took him
though he escaped from there in leg irons with a body full of shot.
It was 1801 when Phillip King declared him outlawed
and he was killed one year later much to his tribes dismay.
His body was dismembered, his head pickled in spirits
and sent by ship to London for Joseph Banks to display.
A letter went with the trophy personally writ by Governor King
who said of Pemulwuy ‘ Although a pest to the colony
he was a brave, independent character.’ No doubt a fierce warrior,
a man who fought for justice, country and his family.
In nineteen fifty England returned the skull of Pemulwuy
his tribe hoped his Spirit would now pass into the Dreaming.
But it appears it would not be. Somehow, somewhere the skull was lost
and to this day his tribe the Bidjigal are grieving.
So what becomes of lost Spirits when alas they are earthbound?
Do they become the dark crows that we see?
Clever man that Pemulwuy, through those prison bars he flew.
Mother Earth was nourished by his blood, but now his spirit’s free.
Maureen Clifford © 03/10
