Two Bricklayers Poem by Xiao Kang

I knew two bricklayers
One named Jack –
Another one named Wang
Jack is Aboriginal, East North Aussie
Wang is Immigrant, West South Chinese
They became very good friends -
Working with whites together

Wage are not all
Something they want to improve
Jack said: Aboriginal is not robber on street
Wang said: Chinese doesn’t build building with tofu
The best brick works are built by their hands
Even the white Boss pride of them

Day after day, Sun rises and down
Jack is alcoholic –
Because he can not find his parents
Wang is chainsmoker –
Because he missed his family far away

Jack is the stolen generation before –
Cursed all the hands try to catch the baby –
Who said “this is the law”
Wang is a middle school teacher before –
To gamble everything on a good future –
Now he is working like a hard labourer

Jack keeps family-seeking……
Wang keeps money-saving……
Year after year
I left Australia

The last time I saw Jack on the street –
An angry man wears a flag –
Ask for everything to the passer
He said: ” apologize can not heal all hurts”
“Look at the captive people in forest”
“no freedom, no ID and no respect.”

The last time I chat with Wang on Internet –
A young father with first baby –
Prepare everything for the new life
TV said: ” earthquake, earthquake, earthquake”
I made a call, it said: ” not exist, not exist, not exist”
The earth said: ” Tofu building, Tofu building, Tofu building”