Upset

In Alice Springs it can get that hot

The dogs never stop panting

After a week or more of build up

It might rain

It rained once for two days solid

And in the park on east side

An Aboriginal bloke in ragged clothes

Spent those two days sitting under a tree

Making movements with his arms

As if communicating with nature

He was wet through

Yet he stayed there

Alone in the rain

Minding his business

Not speaking to anyone

The eyes peered through blinds and curtains

From houses along the street

Growing anxious, fearful, insecure

They try to ignore him

But he is there, both days

So conspicuous

In the rain

Not far from the swings

They can't help notice him

On the way back to work and on the way home

In the rainHe sits there

And they are disturbed

Even though they are dry and safe in their comfortable homes

They are fearful

Even though they have hot food on the table

They are squeamish

His freedom, his ease, his being

Comfortable out of doors putting up with the rain

Makes them

Uneasy

Undoing those happy moments in the kitchen

Morning and night

And in the morning again they look out-they hope he is gone

But he's still there

Undermining

Their enjoyment of breakfast TV

Making them feel guilty

For having a house and money and luxury

They don't want to feel guilty-they worked hard for it

But he's still there

Out of doors in the rain

Quietly suggesting 

That what they worked for

Is not worth

That much 

After all

-Neil Murray

Got hold of this poem from Amit at CFL. He tells me that this was actually written by an Aborigine, Neil Murray.

Beautiful.