Let's Walk Together

[Irene]

Well, I'm not sure if it's a good thing that I have written two poems this year - the topics sometimes leave a bit to be desired!!
However, I have wanted to write this for awhile - if I offend anyone, I apologise. I mean only to add some balance, and say 'Let's accept that the people who invaded this country were ancestors of all of us (except the full-blood aboriginals and later immigrants), so let's put pull together, walk together and be proud to be Australian together'

Let’s Walk Together
© Irene Conner 04.01.2013

Today I walked in silence down a crowded city street
but dared to let my eyes flick to the side;
a barrage of abuse I met
from dark skinned youth who hadn’t yet
discovered how to live their life with pride.

I’d glanced around in innocence, as we are wont to do
in idle contemplation of the sights.
But they just saw my white man’s skin
that triggered anger held within
for those they felt had stolen all their rights.

They spat their prejudicial words with blind discrimination,
unknowing of the facts their hate ignores,
for they don’t know my history
of convicts who were forced to be
so brutally detained upon these shores.

They didn’t choose invasion of a far off native land;
they bore the degredation of a slave.
They too were beaten, raped and killed,
fought burning anger that had filled
their hearts, but still, in time, these deeds forgave.

And what of these youths lightened skin? Not full blood, it appears;
the blood of white and black sustain their heart.
Now most of us will understand
their soul connection to this land,
but why deny the race which they’re a part?

Their ancestry was savaged by the very blood within;
it isn’t them and us – we share a past.
What’s done is done; we must let go
if, as a nation we’re to grow,
to share respect between us all at last.

Now I know this is simplified; just facts that don’t reveal
complexities we cannot understate.
But if both sides could really try
to see these facts with honest eye,
perhaps we’d teach these young kids not to hate.

The prejudice so often cried is not by whites alone;
we each must take our own share of the blame.
Let’s walk together side by side
and let the tears and hurt subside;
let’s share with pride the great ‘Austalian’ name.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Couldn't agree more Irene - that's just the thing isn't it, we are all Australians and yet we have this underlying festering sore that we keep picking at and always colour related at the core.

I feel hurt and angry that you were treated in this manner - and indeed scared for the welfare of all who come under this verbal abuse mentality. It is not acceptable, but sadly good manners seem to have flown the coop these days if indeed they were ever in captivity to start with.

I like your poem mate - it cuts to the chase

Cheers

Maureen

[Neville Briggs]

I think it is an important issue Irene. I think we can have more impact with these things if they are worded in a more subtle indirect way rather than straight out polemic or debate.
Just my annoying opinion.
Good to see you putting something out again.

[Bob Pacey]

Nothing wrong with that Irene, call a spade a spade.

I'm an elder by default and I have found that most of the younger ones have a great respect for their elders eg grandparents ect.


The fact is I reckon that there are bad apples in every barrell and the only thing that niggles me is when the race card is used as an excuse for breaking the law.

As for the poem one verse seems a little askew ?

Now I know this is simplified; just facts that don’t reveal
complexities we cannot understate.
But if both sides could really try
to see these facts with honest eye,
perhaps we’d teach these young kids not to hate.




I thought facts stood out !

Now I know that this is simplified; just facts that don't reveal
complexities we cannot estimate.
But if both sides could really try
to see things with an honest eye,
perhaps we'd teach these young kids not to hate .

Cheer Robert Alan Micheal Pacey EAQ IAWP.

[william williams]

Just who did start this problem was it white or black.
Just how many black people were killed in white men's fox hunts when there were no foxes in Australia, so black were then used instead of foxes.

How many aboriginal tribes were poisoned exterminating them and how many other atrocities by us whites were committed. Years ago Jimmy Carter a full Blood was injured in the war he took TWO Bullets saving others in his group.

In 1964 when I picked Jimmy up from the hospital after the opp, Two half drunk white blokes made the mistake of saying out aloud. (Look at that black useless b******* what has he done for this country). They got the biggest hiding of their lives.

I was charged and the case dropped because one of the blokes father was one of the men in Jimmies platoon. Jimmy lived with me and worked for me.

In a camp accident he pushed me out of the rode when a mad cow charged and got kicked in his in his family Jewels as a result of the happenings, he medically had to be castrated and that nearly killed the man of his pride. and culture.

How many white men have ravaged their women and left them pregnant to fend for themselves.

I myself do not condone what is happening now in modern times by mixed blooded people.

But honestly in your mind do you blame them for the way our so called educated whites great grand parents have treated them.

BILL WILLIAMS THE OLD BATTLER

[Vic Jefferies]

I wrote a reply to this yesterday but it seems to have disappeared into the ether. A good poem Irene and I sympathise with your point of view expressed in the last stanza: Let's walk together... It really is the only sensible option. We can all find wrongs in what has previously transpired, but looking backward and generalizing about who did what to whom and why is not going to advance us one iota nor help to build a better Australia. However, the situation now exists where there is a complete industry that survives and prospers on maintaining the divide and those involved plainly have their positions (and incomes) to protect.
If there is an answer it is education but for some reason or other despite the millions thrown at the
problem many of the young are still not educated to a sufficient degree.
One of the Native American Nations in the USA own and operate a casino on their reservation. Part of the profits from that casino are set aside to guarantee that every Indian child born on that reservation will have their university education fully funded. They have sufficient funds to last for the next two hundred years! Plainly they see education as the solution for their people.

[Stephen Whiteside]

When I was working in Aboriginal health in Fitzroy (roughly Melbourne's equivalent of Redfern), I came to know many young Aboriginal people with pale skin. Most commonly, they had Aboriginal mothers and (absentee) white fathers. They had grown up in the Aboriginal community.

There were also quite a large number of darker skinned young Aboriginal people who had grown up in white foster homes or institutions. Their foster families had often told them they were Indian, and not until their teenage years did they learn the truth. Most of these people knew very little or nothing at all about their Aboriginal heritage.

I came to the work with a very negative feeling towards the missions. I was stunned one day to hear with what pride certain Aboriginal people traced their ancestry to a particular mission. This sense of identity gave them an enormous amount of pride and confidence - especially as, as was so often the case, their identity was being challenged more by other Aboriginal people than by white people.

[r.magnay]

...I could say quite a bit but I won't, apart from...a very good poem Irene, as usual..