How can I tell my friend?
Why my friend,
asked one day,
why?
why did they do this to children?
she was a stolen child,
stolen as she was deemed,
far too white,
to stay with her birth family.
Her father,
Like most stolen children,
Was a Scotsman,
Border Reiver family probably,
Newly arrived settler,
against the law,
to marry a native,
even if they bore their child.
Could go to prison,
if they owned up,
being the father,
I was told.
Why my friend,
asked one day,
why?
why did they do this to children?
How could I tell my friend,
this was never done,
for the colour of her skin,
this was never,
a black and white revenge,
or about the way she lived.
or the title of savage,
this was never an act,
of prejudice.
This was done,
out of rage,
anger,
jealously,
“How dare my friends child self have such a free spirit and soul?”
“How dare my friends child self not be domesticated like them?”
“How dare my friends child self spirit not be in bondage as theirs still is?”
“How dare my friends child self be free of fear and guilt?”
It was the oppressor’s duty,
to make my friends child self,
“Domesticated!”
“Imprison her child self free will!”
“Imprison her child self spirit and soul!”
“Subordinate her child self beauty!”
just as it had been done to them.
How could I tell my friend,
About all the,
hidden truths,
suppressed knowledge,
secrets bind tighter,
than physical chains,
all internalised now,
patterns set in stoned hearts,
numbed minds,
paralysed spirits and souls.
How can I tell my friend,
This is why,
Why they did this,
Did this to the children then,
But still doing it today,
Hidden under other titles,
names and acts,
even by herself,
even by myself,
internalized patterns now,
owned and polished,
as precious gems.
How can I tell my friend,
the battle is now within,
camouflaged as heritage,
needing to be freed,
freeing our own,
own spirits and souls,
our own free wills set into flight,
freeing our own bound capacities,
defrosting our own frozen potentials,
from the oppressors hands,
now our own egos
hidden within.
How can I tell my friend?
National Sorry Day Australia 2009
How can I tell my friend?
Why my friend,
asked one day,
why?
why did they do this to children?
she was a stolen child,
stolen as she was deemed,
far too white,
to stay with her birth family.
Her father,
Like most stolen children,
Was a Scotsman,
Border Reiver family probably,
Newly arrived settler,
against the law,
to marry a native,
even if they bore their child.
Could go to prison,
if they owned up,
being the father,
I was told.
Why my friend,
asked one day,
why?
why did they do this to children?
How could I tell my friend,
this was never done,
for the colour of her skin,
this was never,
a black and white revenge,
or about the way she lived.
or the title of savage,
this was never an act,
of prejudice.
This was done,
out of rage,
anger,
jealously,
“How dare my friends child self have such a free spirit and soul?”
“How dare my friends child self not be domesticated like them?”
“How dare my friends child self spirit not be in bondage as theirs still is?”
“How dare my friends child self be free of fear and guilt?”
It was the oppressor’s duty,
to make my friends child self,
“Domesticated!”
“Imprison her child self free will!”
“Imprison her child self spirit and soul!”
“Subordinate her child self beauty!”
just as it had been done to them.
How could I tell my friend,
About all the,
hidden truths,
suppressed knowledge,
secrets bind tighter,
than physical chains,
all internalised now,
patterns set in stoned hearts,
numbed minds,
paralysed spirits and souls.
How can I tell my friend,
This is why,
Why they did this,
Did this to the children then,
But still doing it today,
Hidden under other titles,
names and acts,
even by herself,
even by myself,
internalized patterns now,
owned and polished,
as precious gems.
How can I tell my friend,
the battle is now within,
camouflaged as heritage,
needing to be freed,
freeing our own,
own spirits and souls,
our own free wills set into flight,
freeing our own bound capacities,
defrosting our own frozen potentials,
from the oppressors hands,
now our own egos
hidden within.
How can I tell my friend?
National Sorry Day Australia 2009