Poem: Cockatoo '89

Vanguard June 2014 p. 9

John’s seen flying saucers across New Zealand skies,

And Packo, he sees football stars when he looks in his young son’s eyes,
Cabs jokes he’ll move a motion to stay out evermore
And Eddy’s just gone fishin’ – he’ll get dinner for them all.

Well there’s families and there’s Beazley (a goat, we all know that)

They brought her out to eat her, but now she just gets fat.
There’s one bloke got there swimmin’, while dozens take the boat,
And Michelle, well she just lives there – they learn with each week’s vote.

They might seem like a mixed bunch and I guess that may be so,

But they’re out there for a reason and I’ll tell it so you’ll know.
They’re out there ‘cause they’re fighters, with a cause that’s just and true,
They know that in this system, if you don’t fight you lose.

For we’re an island nation, and we need our ships, you see,

But those backed by foreign money say that this must never be.
They’d like to see our nation become a vast resort
For the rich of other countries to come and have their sport.

So the workers of this island raise a flag of white and blue,

It flutters in the night’s dark sky and in sunset’s brilliant hue.
It’s the flag of old Eureka where the miners took a stand,
It’s the flag of independence of this great, and stolen, land.

And the workers of this island, they light a fire you see:

It is the fire of struggle to make our country free.

So the people of Australia watch the workers in this fight

And their hearts and minds are with them for freedom’s in their sight.
When Australia’s independent, from Yank dollar and from yen
We’ll think back to those at Cockatoo and give some thanks to them.