Emily Gap, east of Alice Springs, an ancient ceremonial site of the Aranda Aborigines.
CULTURE CLASH
By Katherine Juestel
Carnarvon WA
She sits and fishes from the shore
and thinks about the days before
the white man came to this fair land
with whips and guns and heavy hand
that killed and raped and maimed and took
her people’s pride.
She watches as the big crane tips
and fills the holds of big steel ships
with tonnes of rust red iron ore,
the soul of this land taken for
the big steel mills and factories
where bombs are made.
This used to be a simple land,
before the white man made his stand
and burned the bush and felled the trees
and drove her people to their knees
with guns and grog and white man’s god
they stole the Dreams.
There she sits in a groggy fog
fishing from a half sunk log
here by the sea where cultures clash
she listens to the roar and crash
of waves and ships and iron ore
and waits to die.
COMMENTS
This is an incredible poem. I’m using it for an assignment on Australian outback women. I wish I could write this well.
Congratz on such an affective poem.
— Anna · 16 July 2009 · #