let's riot: an invasion day poem

a brown body without
its fist in the fight is
the white light shining in amadou’s eyes
the steel-capped boot in rodney’s spine &
the marksmen marking luther’s life

let’s riot

a full mouth without a mic-megaphone
spells the solitary cell of mandela’s years alone
& the baxter backer’s chant
of go home

so let’s riot

an aboriginal child
without hope in her smile
is a freedom civil rights riding
front of the bus denying
federal bureau of indigannihilating crime

let’s riot

able black legs that just won’t
take a stand are like
malcolm & george jackson gunned to the ground
in a grave graveyard roll-call of brown

so riot

anti-aborevolutionary terra cronullians
are highlighting apartigration but what’s new
I’ve got the hope-deporting
hanson-courting
vegemite flag sporting
hypocritihistory warping
mandadetention supporting
true blacksploitationary blues

let’s riot

This poem is from my first poetry collection 'Original Skin' (Picaro Press, 2008). I dedicate this post to the rightful owners of this nation. Because the conquerer's kin have apologised, yet every 'Australia Day',like today, people gather to celebrate the invasion.