Australia Day 2023 Poem by Paul Warren

What does being Australian mean
It seems there's no answer now that's clean
There have been different people over years
That have come to the land some in tears

The First Australians walked onto the land
Through Southeast Asia in their plan
Were they pursued we don't know
Perhaps the land put on a show
So these people made it their home
And there's enough evidence for it to be known

We consider what happened next
Is where the question becomes perplexed
The British took the land by force then
As they were doing in other places seemingly without end
In an empire where the sun never sets
Money and power seemed heaven sent

So what of us now in our modern Australia way
When Empires and people faded away
We have apologised for wrong done to the First Nations
Whether some agreed with this oration
Does that now extend to Australia Day
Does the National Day now need to go away

The people of Australia have bled for this ground
Some making the ultimate sacrifice when wars come around
We have as much right to this land
And to celebrate Australia when it's time in the plan
There are things in family histories that cut deep
But denigrating Australia will not make reconciliation complete.

© Paul Warren Poetry