Most of you wouldn’t know the old numbers
you skipped the lessons and went straight to peace
now none of you know the meaning of elbow grease
most of us are plumbers or scrubbers
while behind all culture crumbles
and the young stumbles
trying to please
I never learned the wonders
of your rich and rare plunders
you’re golden soil
and wealth for toil
carried by the noise
of voices you avoid
I used to think nationality was a strength
But now I see
it was only ever the backbone to a struggle guaranteed
I’m here to claim:
the chickens in the prisons
the condition of my position
I have no shame
I have no blame
you and I may look the same
but I’m one of the ones you aim at
the ones you defame
all these spent dreams we never dreamt
flip your scent
pick up your gun
another war won
is it the northern abortions or the communist beasts from the east? Or none and no one?
you flame the shadow of the wise lies
that tie your eyes crossed
And the cost of us stealing your jobs
you snobs mourn the loss of sweat and smells you don’t know exist
the odds we don’t choose
hence our tattoos and booze
while you watch the news
of our country not having the shoes
to walk happily over boiling bullets
Cheer for the bloodshed, maybe one of our solemn prayers will reach the corpses from which you derive such Glee
just as you’ve always sung to me:
in histories page
let every stage
advance
Australia
fair.