Back
Black death
For forty thousand years, our ancestors
Caressed our fertile seed
and tended to the weaning
Gave us life then we were freed
a living part of Dreaming
encased in living flesh
But now the fruit is hanging
in cells of bars and mesh.
Now those links eternal chains
have been torn asunder
as the guns in Whiteyâs hands
spat lightning flash and thunder.
They sat midst the dirt and flies
alone and in disgrace
But behind those saddened eyes
are angry words and screaming
aimed at those in uniforms
who killed those of the Dreaming.
Regrets
I started stealing cars
at fourteen-years old
Trying to impress me mates
Proving I was bold
Flying around in V.8.s
Baiting the manatj 2
Jesus! life was exciting
Full of thrills, spills ânâ laughs
When I did get caught
Didnât worry me at all!
I knew Iâd only spend
A coupla weeks in Longmore
And it wouldnât take too long
To be back on the streets
Prowling for cars to steal
Manatj to defeat
My teenage years flew past
In and out of trouble
Never realising
White law would burst my bubble
but it finally happened
When officially I became a man
The magistrate gave me
Eighteen months in Freo can
Shit! That sentence stung
Dulling the fire in my eyes
One of me mates escaped
Via prison cell necktie
I tried to convince him
A coupla months ainât long
But it was no bloody use
His spirit had already gone
Itâs hard for any man
To be caged in a prison cell
But if your skin is black
Itâs like burning in hell
Being locked up by wajellas 3
Glaring at you with hate
Counting down the hours
To your earliest release date
But as the bible says
âAll things come to passâ
My time eventually came
To be free at last
My experiences caused me
To attempt a brand new life
With no more thieving
Or getting into strife
I confidently set out
Searching for a job
I had even decided
To avoid me old mob
but everywhere I asked
I got for an answer
âMay we have a look.
At your driverâs licence sir?â
My past had returned
Haunting me like a spook
I couldnât find no work
No matter how hard I looked
This made me finally decide
To visit the dreaded police
Asking politely if I could
Sit for a driverâs licence please
The copperâs sarcastic reply
Was poison to me ears
âLook here fella
Youâre suspended for five years!â
My suspensions as a juvenile
I had truly forgot
And waiting for five years
It seemed Iâd probably rot!
So to secure reliable work
I began to drive cars
That my friends is the reason
Iâm back behind prison bars
Counting the endless days
For the next coupla years
Missing freedom, friends and family
Shedding lonesome tears
If you young black fellows
Have any kind of sense
Be patient and behave
Get your driverâs licence
Waiting to turn seventeen
Isnât really very long
And itâs a long lonely journey
Down the road that is wrong
2 Manatjâpolice Back
3 Wajellaâwhite person Back
Escape!
Spiteful rifle spits
slices through still night
Fragile life flickers
dying beneath searchlight
Faceless, uniformed figure
caresses hot, faithful toy
Warm blood gushes
shattered skull, tender boy.
Institutionalised keepers
blood lusted by the kill
gaze upon the carcass
Overwhelming power thrills!
Nobody mentions
victims a hungry thief
fallen from lifeâs tree
like browned autumn leaf.
World eternally spinning
nothing breaks this move
Deafening silence returning
prisonâs eerie gloom
Bloody razor-wire glistens
beneath silvery moon
Night, quietly mourning
life escaped too soon.
Yiggaâs run
Bugger this for a joke coord! 4
Iâm hitting the toe
Jailâs breaking my heart
and making me low
My yorgaâs 5 pissed off
with this bunji 6 wajella 7 bloke
on all this bottled anger
Iâm ready to choke
I havenât had a visit
near on six months