Poems

Voice. Treaty. Truth.

A poem by Dan Davis, Central Queensland

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Sold! Show me how No, thank you

VOICE, what good is it, when we won't be heard.
When we raise it, tell of our injustice, say our words.
When we speak of massacres, of how we were treated.
Murdered day and night, easy pray, easily defeated.

Elders, men, women, children, babies, newborn.
No chance to run, no chance to mourn.
Tortured for their skin colour which became their curse.
Raped by the white man, then tortured or much worse.

TREATY, an agreement, an accord, a deal or a pact.
Will never happen with this  government, I know about that.
"Innocent til proven guilty" is only for their colour.
But it's always "guilty" when they see a black fella.

A convention, a contract, a covenant, a pledge, a bargain.
I bet we won't hear a prime minster's "Sorry" in Parliament again.
Sorry to our Elders, taken from their families.
Sorry brought memories and tears, to them and to me.

TRUTH, is not written, you will never hear or read that.
Only what white man wants you to believe, hiding the facts.
So many untold truths, so many innocent in pain and sorrow.
All suffered a painful death, died painfully, for our tomorrow.

They need us to speak for them, tell what happened that woeful day.
Be their Voice, fight for Treaty, tell the Truth our way.
Like Myall Creek or Gwydir, Murray, Darling rivers.
Where the massacres happened, where white man pain delivered.

So many more sins were committed, so many lives taken too soon.
Whether under the heat of the sun or the light of the moon.
Voice, Treaty, Truth, we must turn from words to action.
Take away our sorrow, turn lives into satisfaction.

Dan Davis has written many poems, some of which you can find here. He's been internationally recognised for his work.

Learn more about the Uluru Statement From the Heart.

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Korff, J 2019, Voice. Treaty. Truth., <https://creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/arts/poems/voice-treaty-truth>, retrieved 22 December 2024

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