4.1+Poetry

"My Country' [|Click to view poem] By Dorothea Mackellar (1885 - 1968) is widely regarded as one of australia's most popular Colonial works, recognised nationally as a tribute to our beautiful homeland, written in the mid twentieth century by the author, in England at the time wrote the poem in a fit of homesickness and longing for her native country. A Showcase of the countries huge variety or landscapes and climate and will make any proud Australian flare up inside, despite this the poem does not show a hint of racism or discrimination. Aboriginal Australians should feel the same way about the poem most white people feel. This poem is not opinionated, biased or discriminating in any way, it is simply a tribute to Australia.

"The New True Anthem" Click to view poem By Kevin Gilbert is an Aboriginal response to the above poem "My Country" Expressing the view many native australians share on the white's impact on australia since their colonisation of the country. Acusing the whites that theyve, "you've never really loved her nor sought to make her grand".

"The First Australians" [|Click to view poem] By Troy Hopkins is a poem filled with sorrow and hate, acusing the white Government, public, Police and Court system of being so beninely racist that, "This country hates me 'cause I'm black".

"My Mother The Land" [|Click to view poem] By Phil Moncrieff is a poem about a mans longing to withdraw from a discriminating society and "Take me back my Mother the Land, The white man he'll never accept me".

"Who Are We?" [|Click to view poem] By Richard Kennedy, a poem reminiscing on the time before the white man came when Aboriginal Austalians lived an, "Idylic lifestyle". The poem is a cry to the government and white society pleading to be heard, theres no denying Aboriginals are treated differently in australia, worse. Many citizens would argue that when they see big mobs of Aboriginals roaming the streets, casuing trouble and commiting crimes, its not hard to dislike Aboriginals. But its true that we have brought this upon ourselves. How do expet these people to act civil and become nirmal citizens when you shout abouse at them in the streets, label them "animals' and make no effort to improve their standard of living, get the kids into school, get them back intouch with traditional customs and beleifs and get the drugs out of th community and provide better homes and healthcarwe untill the populations are well enough to support themselves. Utill this issue is addressed, Australia will never be one nation.