Colors of destruction

White sails seen from the shore as 11 ships land

and disgorge bewildered men on my flaxen sand.

White men first seem like my friends

giving me gifts, new food and promises.

Blue eyes I'd never seen before

cold, cruel and treacherous.

Brown scar where green there once birthed

as the chains rip the grey ghost gums from the earth.

In their place, yellow wheat waves as far as the eye can see

and white sheep and cow graze to feed more whites not me.

I gave my land but white man no want to share

I gave my trust but white man no want to care.

Convict make us fight to death for rum, our women raped, our children gone.

Everything is destroyed. Hope dries up like our creeks.

Nature out of balance now. Colors, cultures clash.

Now I am sick, my skin red and raw

with pinkish lumps so itchy and sore.

White man brought this scourge for us to bear

but same as always, he no want to care.

So tired now, I know my time is near.

Red Rock where Dreaming began

beckons me and I feel no fear.

I am flying through endless indigo skies,

silver stars dazzling so bright

I feel I can gather them to light

my way back.

I see the emerald forests below me,

alive with birdsong, kangaroo, wallaby.

I see azure waters below me, brimming with fish, turtle, dugong.

I am in my bark canoe with my son again, I have waited so long.

His nut-brown eyes look up at me, so full of love.

I am teaching him how to hunt, how to be a man, how to rise above.

Now I am back on red earth and painting the warm rock with stories of our past.

I blow the colors on to my hand and history appears with each blast.

I am dancing with palm frond, spear and my people gather round.

My body is daubed in ochre and ashen colors mixed from the ground.

The fire blazes vermillion, amber, golden as we listen and sing.

I feel at peace, at one with everything.

I am free.