This poem is an *IA Writing Competition (fiction category) entry.
POEM: Exploitation
the No's are alarmist who engender our fear
they sow seeds of disquiet
that could well cost us dear
because all that’s being asked
is to offer advice
on Indigenous culture and their way of life
but the No camp has chosen to cynically distort
the words and the reasons
with no rational thought
thy just highlight the bigotry
so our nation is bought
the No camp's determined we all should reject
First Nations' request that we finally accept
their right to be recognised and included at last
in our Constitution, if Referendum is passed
but the weeks leading up to October 14
may get ever more ugly, and with tactics more mean
like the text from Jacinta that spammed me today
never mind I don't know her or care what she says
the No's have a nerve when they think they can pry
with their misinformation and sickening lies
it's hard to stay upbeat and remain hopeful of change
that Australians will see that the No’s are deranged
staying positive is hard I have to confess
when the No’s negativity hardly pauses for breath
but I’m backing our youth and those Voices of reason
to vote for our future
and that know it’s not treason
I want to wake to a morning on October 15
In a country that’s chosen to start again, clean
and prepared to move forward
no more anxiety and stress
because so many Australians ticked the box that said
Yes!
Anne Layton-Bennett is a writer based in Tasmania.
* Full IA Writing Competition details HERE.
Related Articles
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License
Support independent journalism Subscribe to IA.
