Poems

A Response To Dan And Others

A poem by Sebie Brooks (pen name)

Close this Cover of Aboriginal Culture Essentials

Wishing you knew more about Aboriginal culture? Search no more.

Get key foundational knowledge about Aboriginal culture in a fun and engaging way.

This is no ordinary resource: It includes a fictional story, quizzes, crosswords and even a treasure hunt.

Stop feeling bad about not knowing. Make it fun to know better.

Sold! Show me how No, thank you

If I could, I would
See you in tall ships sail into our harbours
Carrying the many small seeds of our destruction
If I could, I would
Watch you fire long sticks of flame from far off hilltops
Our sticks falling short of any meaningful response
If I could, I would
Let you force your Gods down our throats
And build wrongness in the land
If I could, I would let you say
We don't exist.
Pay us with addiction.
Make us carry dog collars.
Ask permission to marry, to breed
To die.
If I could, I would most of all
Give you back your mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters
Uncles and all the other Ys
But if I could I might
Ask
Should I?

Sebie is a non-Aboriginal author and submitted this poem in response to the Aboriginal poems published here. Thank you Sebie.

Read another one?

Cite this page

Korff, J 2020, A Response To Dan And Others, <https://creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/arts/poems/a-response-to-dan-and-others>, retrieved 21 November 2024

Creative Spirits is a starting point for everyone to learn about Aboriginal culture. Please use primary sources for academic work.

Join thousands of Smart Owls who know more!