Chapter 3
Poem 2
Angry remarks serge forward like a furious bushfire
Destroying the innocent, Indigenous plants in its path
It sends my head swirling, and twirling, and whirling
At every bend, confusion catches me
Holding me back from the answer
Running out of breath, I am lost
Do I follow the beliefs carved by families and friends?
Or the beliefs of the future shaped by strangers?
Time is fading away
Heart and mind battle it out on the war front
No mercy shown
The two sides collide together, weapons ready to confront
Is it time to forget everything I’ve known?
Fear seeps into me
Held down like a chained animal, I’m no longer carefree
Arguments pelt through the sky, I don’t know if I agree
Their poison hits me like a killer bee’s
It’s not just one, but all
Each racist recipe as unique as them
Not just words, but actions, not just actions, but gestures, not just gestures, but thoughts
The tip of the spear begins to piece my heart
Change seems as rare at this point as seeing a Northern Quoll
The outcast emerges again
Apprehension radiating from her body
The negative thoughts grind to a halt, overthrown by respect
“Hello Yindi. How can I help you?”
She raises her head, her eyes lock into mine
Her eyes bleed a softness that takes me by surprise
Yindi is almost as old as the Uluru shrine
She hands me the paper to analyse
The critical glare pushes the nullah nullah deep into my back
Reality has certainly given me an eye-opening smack
How long as she had to feel like she’s going to be attacked?
Her face is harder to read than the sky when it’s black
But then a smile escapes her mouth
Contentment plastered onto her face
It feels like the world stops for a minute, allowing us to enjoy this moment
Gratitude twinkles in her eyes
“Life is good, bayini.”
And with that, she floats out of the consult room on cloud nine
She came in a shy, reserved echidna, but left a cackling kookaburra
Maybe one person can make a difference after all…
If only she knew there was a threatening thunder storm fast approaching
The joyful sun rays are soon consumed by a menacing cloud
Words as fast and powerful as lightning bolts ignite the sky
The pin-point accuracy of these shots should not be allowed
He’s picking apart at scraps like a scavenger magpie
Like a croc pushed into a corner, I’m ready to snap at any time
Why is there no punishment for this crime?
People inflicting the torture are just covered in grime
The people of this land have already been forced to conform to the climb
Without being aware, I rush to Yindi’s side
Shoving a shield in front of her, protecting her from the verbal bullets
Like a powerful kangaroo, I dodge the threats and accusations
I can no longer be a by-stander to something so unkind
My heart has won the long battle over the mind
No more thoughts, actions or gestures
No more acting like king, and them your peasants
No more excuses
Only change, from here on out.
Reflection of insecurities
Ability to put barriers between people
denied because of Colour
Inexcusable behaviour
Scrutinised and belittled
Marginalisation of people
