Jack Davis (1917 – 2000), ‘Desolation’

 

You have turned our land into a desolate place.

We stumble along with a half-white mind.

Where are we?

What are we?

Not a recognized race…

There is desert ahead and desert behind.

 

The tribes are all gone,

The boundaries are broken:

Once we had bread here,

You gave us stone.

We are tired of the benches, our beds in the park,

We welcome the sundown that heralds the dark.

White Lady Methylate!

Keep us warm and from crying.

Hold back the hate

And hasten the dying.

The tribes are all gone,

The spears are all broken:

Once we had bread here,

You gave us stone.

 

[emphasis added]

(J Tranter & P Mead eds. 1991, The Penguin Book of Modern Australian Poetry, Penguin, Ringwood:68-69)

 

Copyright permission requested from Penguin 7 April 2010