Examples+of+her+poetry

They came in to the little town A semi-naked band subdued and silent All that remained of their tribe. They came here to the place of their old bora ground Where now the many white men hurry about like ants. Notice of the estate agent reads: 'Rubbish May Be Tipped Here'. Now it half covers the traces of the old bora ring. 'We are as strangers here now, but the white tribe are the strangers. We belong here, we are of the old ways. We are the corroboree and the bora ground, We are the old ceremonies, the laws of the elders. We are the wonder tales of Dream Time, the tribal legends told. We are the past, the hunts and the laughing games, the wandering camp fires. We are the lightening bolt over Gaphembah Hill Quick and terrible, And the Thunderer after him, that loud fellow. We are the quiet daybreak paling the dark lagoon. We are the shadow-ghosts creeping back as the camp fires burn low. We are nature and the past, all the old ways Gone now and scattered. The scrubs are gone, the hunting and the laughter. The eagle is gone, the emu and the kangaroo are gone from this place. The bora ring is gone. The corroboree is gone. And we are going.'
 * We Are Going by Oodgeroo Noonuccal (1960)[[image:walker_poem_520x488.jpg align="right"]] **

**What we think this poem is about:** Even though that this poem is written in the 1960's, where she was at the height of her political involvement.This poem reflects the Aboriginal culture during that time and the rights that have been taken away from the people. This is made clear by quotes such as "Gone now and scattered". This poem reflects what has been taken away from the Indigenous Australians and the traditions that have been lost since the white people came in to Australia. The animals in the poem reflect what we think to be the food source, to make way for white settlement and the way of making Australia a white Australia. "We are nature and the past" is a quote in the poem, which we think that it means Aboriginals being a part of the flora and fauna act, rather than being counted as citizens.

**Is it effective to us:** We think that this poem is effective as she has described in detail what she believes has happened to the Aboriginal culture. She has used the word gone which makes us think of something that has been taken away from them. She has used descriptive language and imagery which we as the audience can imagine this happening. This poem is an excellent read and we are glad that she has shared it with the world. media type="youtube" key="OI_fA0rFUjA?fs=1" height="385" width="480"

**What we think this poem is about:** Although the poem is considered to be rather short, it is seen as a powerful poem. As with Oodgeroo’s other poem ‘We Are Going’, there is a significant emphasis on the deep and spiritual relationship between the Aboriginal people and the land. This can be clearly seen in the last line “What have they done to us?” Oodgeroo’s poem reflects the sadness of the tree, and also her own sadness of being trapped in this concrete, man-made world. We believe that this poem is a commentary on how the historically the white Australian’s were seen to come in from all sides and trap the Aboriginal’s in a space. The poem could also be a commentary on the European traditions that the contemporary government and society have placed on the Aboriginals through housing, education, intervention programs, and even clothing.

**Is it effective to us:** We think that the poem is effective as it makes a strong and clear commentary on the lack of reconciliation, and the constraints that society and government place on the Aboriginal people. How the people may feel oppressed or ‘choked’ by these constraints that are placed on them. Which creates questions around reconciliation and closing the gap. It is effective because it raises these questions.