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Boat People

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Boat People
                        by Bob Moore © 2017

We, were the boat people of our day, 
from many lands so far away
with Europe in chaos from war and strife 
looking to find a brand new life
                
And so began an ambitious dream,
The Displaced Persons and Migration Scheme
“Populate or Perish” was the catch cry then
come here to live, we need more men

They came without families, left them behind
hoping a better life they would find
and bring them out here later, hopefully when
they found a home, and a job, they would see them again

The Australian Government paid most of the fare
“Bring out a Briton”, by sea or by air
just stay two years, and your debt is then paid
get a job and work hard, your future is made

You need to work, and fit in you know
we want you here, to help us grow
and you need us, for a place to live
so we both have something, to take, and to give

We will not always get along
the ties to our homeland, are still strong
you’ll call us names, we’ll call them back
sometimes it’s just words, now and then it’s a whack

Dago, Gypo, pommie and wog
but be ready to fight if you called us a dog
we’d call you a convict, but you didn’t care
and so friendly insults would fly through the air

That’s how it was built, this homogeneous land
with all the people working, and lending a hand 
multicultural is the word, politicians all use now
back then we were just Aussies, and we did it somehow

Copyright © Robert J Moore | Year Posted 2021

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