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Bernard de Silva
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« on: May 06, 2007, 04:04:10 PM » |
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North of Mackay, Queensland, near the Bruce Highway some fourteen
miles from that city lies a low mountain, scene of a massacre of
tribal natives by the native police. The area surrounding this
mountain is known as "The Leap". The mountain, long ago known as
Mount Mandarana, is now The Leap Mountain. Outside the hotel in the
small valley below this mountain stands a statue of a native woman…
"Kohawa, Woman Of The Leap."
We scale you Mandarana, high upon your rocky summit,
we are stealthy, the eagles stir not in their nest.
Dawn will see dispersal, and vile murder on your crest,
genocide, dusky brother upon brother.
Mandarana, lowly mountain, where all spirits cannot rest.
Do you hear us tribal brothers, all we turncoat renegades,
we are coming, human blood hounds of the law.
Fugitives, fear our arrival, we are not brothers as before,
we mercenaries, with blood upon our hands.
Warriors in exile, the white man's paid assassins evermore.
We avengers are amongst you, and blood lust overtakes,
our carbines firing, death blood on wielded stocks,
Fugitives, you cannot flee, all avenues the carnage blocks...
genocide, all save two slaughtered on the spot,
Kohawa, child held to her breast, lone high upon the rocks.
You stand Mount Mandarana, grey cliff facing to one side,
we are coming, dusky Kohawa, there can be no escape,
Dark sister, this is dispersal, a term for massacre and rape.
Kohawa, we watch you leap toward oblivion...
below, beyond the rock face, there lies your bloodied shape.
There midst lantana, one survivor, the dusky orphaned waif,
fate, and the white man, may allow her to survive.
You care not Mandarana, who does perish, who might thrive.
You remain unchanged, lowly mountain,
mourn not Kohawa, nor dead victims, care not for ones alive.
©. Copyright: Bernard de Silva.
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