Europa Poets' Gazette, No 68, December 2009

Gone, Gone Are Those Days
Gone, gone are those days
when we had a White Australia policy.
And those in power thought
That Australia should be peopled
By only the white race
And the cries of the original owners
Of the land went unheard.
Gone, gone are those days
When some job vacancies read,
"No Catholics or Jews need apply."
Gone, gone are those days
When children born before
Marriage, or without a known father,
Were shunned by society.
Gone, gone are those days
When Australians were considered to be
Sinners for marrying a person of
A different Christian creed:
For Catholics and Protestants to marry one
Another, often, from such unions,
The couples were viewed as still unwed
And their children, in the eyes of the church,
were illegitimate.
Gone, gone are those days
When a person who had
Committed suicide
Was tried in court for committing such an act
And then was buried in a non-consecrated grave.
With our nation emerging into a one-world nation,
I hope that we will soon be saying,
"Gone are those days of children soldiers."
© Judy Brumby-Lake

Europa Poets' Gazette No. 74

Once Upon A Time
Once upon a time,
A long time ago,
in the 15th century,
the term boy meant servant.
"Come here, boy."
A male child was called
a naive girl.
A female child was called
a gay girl.
Gay girls wore blue;
Naive girls wore pink.
In the 21st century,
Gay girls have become
girls that wear pink.
Naive girls became boys
that wear blue.
What happened, you guessed it -
Chinese whispers.
© Dianne Woods

Europa Poets' Gazette No. 74

Bagged Out!
(From comments by a friend surviving a near-fatal accident.)
I curse this plastic bag - warm and soft against my belly.
I hate the need to empty it - a task that’s always smelly.
But it means I go on living, it has gained me added years.
Initially my future bleak, and I was wracked with fears.
I’ve somehow learned to live with it, even treat it as a joke,
But I wouldn’t wish colostomy on any other bloke.
"Will give you quality of life"; Words from this doctor chap.
"Quality be damned!" I said, "I’d rather sit and crap!"
© Pete Stratford 6.5.10

Europa Poets' Gazette No. 74

A Bit Of A Chat
You said:
We need to have a talk
I said:
Will this be
a walk along the beach without shoes,
feeling how soft our feet have
become over the long winter,
kind-of-a-talk?
Will this be
a climb up
a wooden hill, the deepening
of our breath making words
slow and considered,
kind-of-a-talk?
Will this be
a sit in a coffee shop
our heads drawn close over
the steam and milk-comfortable cups,
making a special little world,
kind-of-a-talk?
Will this be
a deep and meaningful,
look into my eyes session
that demands I search my soul
and memory for the truth,
kind-of-a-talk?
You said:
No, my dear, this will be a sitting
at the table with pens and diaries,
trying to co-ordinate the demands
of the coming week,
kind-of-a-talk.
© Tim Heath October 1, 2007

Europa Poets' Gazette No. 74

Changing Places
Early morning sunlight filters through my lace curtains,
Throwing mosaics on my bedroom wall -
So that most of the painting above my bed is obscured,
But I know there is a young girl dressed in 1920s fashion,
Leaning lazily back against an old tree trunk -
Her arms, the colour of milk, are stretched out
In model pose, and in one hand she holds
A white straw hat with soft blue bow.
She is smiling and relaxed in her pastel peace
And I think she lives a life without care:
At this moment, with my heavy heart and mind,
I could easily change places with her.
© June Maureen Hitchcock May, 2010

Europa Poets' Gazette No. 74

Feature Poet
Looking Forward, Looking Back
As we walk the path of life,
We often hit hard times
Leaving us broken-hearted.
Though we are torn and weathered,
We still have a bright future,
For we are travelling along a path.
It is long and ancient,
One that has served us well.
The path will not be easy,
But we will get there for our ancestors
Our history and our culture,
We are the Aboriginals of the land
Looking forward, looking back.
Back.
© Richard Griffiths 29.11.2008