In our orthography
When really –
It should be – Dumat’ji
No flag raising here
No speech or ceremony
On Australia Day
In Doomadgee
The river runs warm
Kiddies swim and swarm
On Australia Day
In Doomadgee
Blackfellas bashing
(It’s the national fashion)
On Australia Eve
Here in Doomadgee
Broken hand, broken
Jaw, cut faces and more:
That’s Australia Day
In Doomadgee.
Adam Goodes
Too far away
This Australia Day
From Doomadgee
A busy day this
Australia Day –
Hordes in the wards
In Doomadgee
We plaster and we suture
Like there is no future:
Future no feature of Australia Day,
Not here, no way, in Doomadgee
The end of Australia Day –
Quietness falls
In hospital halls
Of Doomadgee
But short the respite –
Quick! Elder sick!
Dying on Australia night?
Dying here – in Doomadgee?
Quiet, quiet, his voice, his breath –
Small his smile at the threshold of death –
Good night Australia:
System failure in Doomadgee
Beside him, quiet woman – or girl –
His guard and ward in this world
Trembles, facing an Australian day
Without him in Doomadgee.
He slips away from his teeming kin
Who hold their tears and keening in;
A dreadful peace on Australia Day
And quiet, this night in Doomadgee.
howardgoldenberg 