Ghost Nation Poem by keith brown

Ghost nation

Land of drought, wind, rain and flood
Land of freedomstained with blood

Ancient cultures blown away like paper bark
By the wind filled sail of a Convict barque

Convict, trooper, settler, spear,
Ignorance, greed, spirits, fear

Chains that bind both white and black
Humpy, mansion, settlers shack

Cannon, musket, woomera, rum
Stolen children,a nations death rattle hum

Terra nullius, land grant, federation
Eureka stockade exploitation

Ride the sheep's back too prosperity
White Australia not aborigine

Harbour bridge, opera house,
Domestic violence, frightened spouse

Land rights, Mabo, Albert, sorry day
a past that can't be washed away

Death in custody, Brewarrina
Don't seem like we've come too far

Multi cultural melting pot
Every nation we've got the lot

Land of opportunity not for aborigine
A nations wealth, self determination

As yet unshared by our ghost nation