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1.
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To be to will to die
One among
Night
Greatness
Etched
Religion like stars
Lithe
One among
Night
Greatness
Etched
To be to will to die
Eternal
Religion like stars
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2.
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Toka Mengha leah. The timber cross has vanished.
On seeing on a clear day the coast of Tasmania,
Numerous statements confirm, and the summit of the snow-capped Ben Lomond,
Gave tears – “There my home, there my country.”
Extraordinary, the procession of Tongerlongeter into Hobart.
Robinson and his son led, ‘thirteen Aboriginal associates, and the twenty-six survivors of the war’,
Leisurely, ‘accompanied by a large pack of dogs’.
On seeing on a clear day the coast of Tasmania,
Numerous statements confirm, and the summit of the snow-capped Ben Lomond,
Gave tears – “There my home, there my country.”
Ever recurring attacks – eighty-six pages in the Colonial Office records.
Thistles mark his grave.
Earth. A plain and sacred
Right. [They are not rebellious subjects, but an injured nation.]
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A song played at Tongerlongeter’s funeral, ‘in honour of a Great Chief’, contained these words: ‘Toka Mengha leah’.
(see Reynolds & Clements, Tongerlongeter.)
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3.
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The land
Only this
Nullius
George Arthur, governor of Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land) was instructed to
Engage with Aggressions in the same manner as if they proceeded from subjects of an accredited State
Resistance – a protracted warfare
Lamented Arthur
Only twenty-six left
Nullius
Governor of Tasmania instructed that they shall be immediately
Embarked for Great Island where they shall be treated with all kindness that humanity can dictate
The shadows of a hideous dream
Enduring sense of injustice
Resistance
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4.
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Tasmanian
Of earth and stars
Not extinguished at death
Guerrilla strikes – “reconnaissance, ritual preparation, weaponry, wind speed and direction…”
Eldest girl, Mary, covered in blood
Radius bone violently torn away
Life saved
Of earth and stars
Not extinguished at death
Garment of wool lined with linen or fine-weave wool
Esteemed
Tasmanian
Edged with white
Remembered no more
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(see Reynolds & Clements, Tongerlongeter.)
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5.
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Tongerlongeter
On the morning as a storm lashed
No outward wailing
Grief inward
Extra-large coffin
Remains covered with earth
Luxury on the lands of his primeval existence
On the morning as a storm lashed
No outward wailing
Grief inward
Engaged in a justifiable war against the invaders of their country
Tongerlongeter
Exile
Remains covered with earth
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6.
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The moon
On their bodies
Numinous
Gathered at the full of every moon
Each distinct tribe
Reverence profound
Looking eyes upturned arms
Orb luminous
Night ecstatic
Gathered to dance
Each distinct tribe
The moon
Engraved in stone, depicted in charcoal on the walls of their huts
Reminiscence
‘a tribe camped on the face of the hill about two miles away in front of our house at the time when the moon was full and we could see capering before a large fire’
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(see Reynolds & Clements, Tongerlongeter.)
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7.
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The females of the island make smoke signals in answer to the men
On the hills the men sing
No children
Gilbert Robertson census of Aborigines ‘at large’ in
Eastern Tasmania
River, recuperated
Life conceived
On the hills the men sing
No children
Gilbert Robertson census of Aborigines ‘at large’
Embers
The soldiers on duty heard a rustle as though a mob of wild cattle were passing
Escaped
River Ouse gave birth (Parperermanener)
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8
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Thousands of Australians go
On pilgrimage to Gallipoli
‘No tree has been planted in his honour’
Great and brave patriots
Every injury they can inflict upon White Men as an Act of Duty
Rightful possessions which have been torn from them by force
Look upon us as enemies
On pilgrimage to Gallipoli
‘No tree has been planted in his honour’
Great and brave patriots
Every injury they can inflict upon White Men as an Act of Duty
Tasmanian landscape has no memorials
Embarrassed eyes averted from brutal bush fighting
Regaled in a cloak ‘sad eyes unwavering’
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(see Reynolds & Clements, Tongerlongeter.)
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9.
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Risdon
.
The Coal Valley a short distance east of Risdon
Open country ideal place for hunting
Nights of dancing
Grassland for driving animals down to the Derwent
Endless discussions
Running women and children retreated under fire
Large numbers of fighting men present
Old men at the foot of the hill near the Valley employed in making spears
Numbers favoured the original inhabitants
Guns insufficient
‘Ensuing thirty years provides the strongest affirmation of this interpretation of the events of this fateful day at Risdon’
The members of the besieging party were warriors
Europeans shot a cannon, saving the camp
Recalled, John Henry Fawker, ‘it was war between the races and no quarter’.
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(see Reynolds & Clements, Tongerlongeter.)
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10.
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Tongerlongeter unmistakable
Onlookers saw his imposing stature missing arm wearing
New cloak
Graves littered the country
Economy free to grow
River people asked who would care for the
Land
On their way to the Straits they suffered much from seasickness
Nausea great wailing
Graves littered the country
Evening they sit around the fire and talk, or one sings,
The rest listen with deep interest and attention, frequently applauding by a general shout
Evil spirit
River people asked who would care for the Land
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(see Reynolds & Clements, Tongerlongeter.)
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11.
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Two hundred squared – forty thousand years
Our history, the root and seed. Like dew a
National life appears, it vanishes –
Glory unsustained. The sky is blue –
Eternity – for this is what our forebears
Recognised – days cloudless. Questionable, a
Love unlinked – a castle in the air.
Obtainable, what is – a water table.
National life appears, it vanishes –
Glory unsustained. The sky is blue –
Eternity – for this is what your forebears’
Thought – a blowing wind – unlinked, but true.
Evening – the stars appear – transcendent.
Root and seed. A nation squared. Resplendent.
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12.
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Tender eyes of women swimming with tears.
Oyster Bay – three hundred generations
Nations since the flood – an ancient way.
Grandeur – a landmark in our history.
Empire’s native people – ‘usurped their land’
Recalled Buxton – ‘kidnapped, enslaved and murdered.’
Land – an incontrovertible right.
Oysters, opossums, kangaroos – subsistence
Noted by a clergyman – no settled
Gathering grounds – a smattering of our language.
Elizabeth Street – expectant crowd –
‘Three spears in his left hand and one in his right’ advancing.
Empire’s native people – ‘usurped their land’
Recalled Buxton – ‘kidnapped, enslaved and murdered.’
.
Thomas Buxton – a key figure in the powerful humanitarian lobby, British parliament.
(see Reynolds & Clements, Tongerlongeter.)
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13.
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Thousand kilometres
Over the course of a year
‘Natural’
Growth fire sculptured
Earth a mosaic
Region centred
Lithe flames
Ochre collected
Natural world alive with spirits
Guides addressed a bird with hoots, the bird responded, ‘on hearing which they shouted with the most extravagant demonstration of joy’
Elements feared – in particular thunder and lightening
The constellations – ‘they spoke of stars’
Extinguished – ‘the poignancy of sorrow expressed cannot be surpassed’
Relics – ‘the ashes of the dead were collected in a piece of Kangaroo-skin, and every morning before sunrise a portion of them was smeared over the faces of the survivors.’
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(see Reynolds & Clements, Tongerlongeter.)
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14.
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Twins – I and you. Born of an
Origin unmistakeable.
Nothingness. Horizon unfulfilled.
Gargantuan – our differences.
East to west. Black to white.
Revelation or reflection.
Lacework – bobbins interweaving.
Obituary – “his prowess, his sagacious proceedings and his fidelity, his humanity and manly bearing,
No length of days will ever efface them from my mind.”
Gargantuan – our differences.
East to west. Black to white. And yet –
Twins. One land, our heritage.
Ear and eye. Left and right.
Revelation and reflection.
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(see Reynolds & Clements, Tongerlongeter.)
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15.
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Transformed sky
Over him
Night
Grows to day
Each
Remembers
Lost time
Onwards
Night
Grows to day
Each
Transformed sky
Each
Remembers
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16.
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They now plunder houses in populous places
One observed
No longer confine their depredations to remote stock huts or isolated dwellings
Go away you white buggers, what business have you here
Emboldened
Ridiculed the idea of white men following them in the woods
Language – ‘parrawa’, ‘parrawa’ (go away)
Oyster Bay – Big River warriors
No longer confine their depredations to remote stock huts or isolated dwellings
Go away you white buggers, what business have you here
Emboldened
They have ceased to fear
Entertain but a mean opinion of the white people’s knowledge
Ridiculed the idea of white men following them in the woods
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17.
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They shall grow not
Old as we that are left grow old Age shall not weary them
Nor the years condemn At the
Going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them
English poet Laurence Binyon
Remembrance
Lest We Forget
Only take heed to thyself and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen
National pride
God
Engraved
Tongerlongeter
Exodus
Reveal
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18.
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Timeless time
Open sky
Numbing certainty
Ghostly
Evangelism
Revealed unrevealed
Living
Open sky
Numbing certainty
Ghostly
Evangelism
Timeless time
End
Revealed unrevealed
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19.
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They had a perfect horror
Of everything connected with religious instruction
Non-committal
God made
Everything
Robinson heard him say
Language not understood
On Sundays they appeared at ‘divine service’
Non-committal
God made
Everything
Tongue may have been subversive
Enduring
Remnant
“Behind him was the unbeaten remnant of one of history’s most enduring people.”
(see Reynolds & Clements, Tongerlongeter)
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20.
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They were likened to ghosts
Observed – ‘vanish like spectres’
Natives diminished – in less than the period of one
Generation they will not have a single untenanted spot left
Extermination
Revenge – ‘They bear a deadly animosity to the white inhabitants’
Lately they have commenced a system of destruction, which if preserved in, will involve many families in utter ruin, by destroying houses and barns by fire
Observed – ‘vanish like spectres’
Natives diminished – in less than the period of one
Generation they will not have a single untenanted spot left
Extirpate the white inhabitants. They entertain no such idea.
They were likened to ghosts
Effective
Refined – ‘moving to various places with almost incredible swiftness’
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21.
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This day in November, the twenty-sixth,
One month before Christmas, the rain pours outside.
North, my grandchildren live, east, their
Great-grandmother. One time, one place.
Eternity. What was and will be.
Restrained. A rose that blooms.
Leisurely, the present appears.
One month before Christmas, the rain pours outside.
North, my grandchildren live, east, their
Great-grandmother. One time, one place.
Eternity. What was and will be.
This day in November, the twenty-sixth,
Eternity. What was and will be.
Restrained. A rose that blooms.
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22.
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Tonight the stars arise
Origin
Night excludes
Governance the moon
Entry
Recession
Length both brief and long
Origin
Night excludes
Governance the moon
Evening
Tonight the stars arise
Entry
Recession
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johncarrollpoems 