Gone

[David J Delaney]

In response to Maureens 'Stolen generation'. I'm sure I posted this somewhere.



Gone

I cry my child; you’re wrenched now from my heart
taken away, we’re forever apart
the church white collar men say it’s the way
no longer your life, you have no say.

I cry my child, now stolen from our clan
locked away you’re now an angry young man
beaten and whipped to follow white mans rule
now forced to believe you are a fool.

I cry my child, for you, I’ll never hold
I’ll never forget you when growing old
and miss you when roaming throughout our land
walking creek beds or the desert sand

I cry my child; these men seek our women
they shave their head, then work them like stockmen
they’re taken from their ancient way of life
bed with white man, never called a wife.

I cry for my land, old ways disappeared
Gone is the lifestyle when my food was speared
Gone is the hope, traditions of our land
Gone is the time, we, were proud and grand.


David J Delaney
07/04/2009 ©

[Irene]

Beautiful poem David - you have captured the emotions so well.

catchya
IRene

[Dave Smith]

Dave J I like that. We the “Superior White man” has a lot to answer for a culture lost through ignorance.

TTFN

[Maureen K Clifford]

Good on you Dave - that is a beauty, don't remember reading it before.

Dave S - a lot of it was white mans arrogance not white mans ignorance. Where do we get off treating another human being as not a human being. Up until 27th May of 1967 our Aboriginal people were listed as Flora and Fauna, not allowed to vote (obviously F and F wouldn't) and had no rights at all that other humans enjoyed.

That is arrogance - not ignorance.

Cheers

Maureen

[Dave Smith]

Maureen you are right I just get so frustrated I could spit chips. My brother in law is one of the stolen generation from up in the Pilbara and a nicer bloke you will never meet.

Dave S.

[r.magnay]

I think the media hype, the do gooders and the generally uninformed cause more harm than good on these matters, there have been millions of injustices done through history and there will be millions more done yet. The 'Stolen generation' are the most assimilated and successful of the Aboriginal race as we know it today, even though many are no more Aboriginal than they are European! Many of the so called stolen generation were actually surrendered to give them a better chance and by their own admission are better off because of it. It still always puzzles me why someone who is not pure Aboriginal and regardless of how little Aboriginal blood is in them, they are still classed as Aboriginal.....does that make me a Viking....or a convict?.....by these rules it makes me whichever one I want to be I guess.
Believe me, I would love to take some of the bleeding hearts to see some of the things I see every week and then get their revised opinion...I better stop now before I get too cranky.

[David J Delaney]

G'day Ray, you are so right mate, I have bugger all time for 'bleeding hearts & those who think they are 'do godders', but, there are those who were 'taken' my brother-in-laws mother was forcibily taken from her people & sent to Cherbourg, during her time there she was raped by a young pastor, she copped a beating, he got off scott free, also she never saw her mum & dad again, & as far as atrocities goes, I still think the 'wiping out' of Aboriginals in Tassie is right up there eh!

Thanks for your comment mate.

[r.magnay]

Sure Dave, there have been lots of atrocities committed, by white against black, black against white, white against white and black against black, chuck in some brown, red and yellow for good measure and you have mankind! I do get a bit peeved at the way some injustices against some aboriginies always seem to get highlighted above any others though. We can't change the past surely it is time to let it go and all start being Australians.....whatever colour!

...and I'm Ross by the way

[David J Delaney]

Sorry Ross!..& again I agree with all you have just pointed out mate.

[r.magnay]

No worries Dave...I've been called a lot worse mate.

It's quite amazing really how things go, my wife Sheryl had no idea of the conversation we have been having on here, but today the dogs started going crook, she came inside and said, "They should take those kids away from that useless mob of drunks, they are all drinking grog, the baby has nothing to eat or drink, the drunk mother is is carrying the baby down to the river in the sun with only a nappy on!"....it was about 36 or37 today and no cloud cover,...stolen generation? I'm not too sure.