The Dangerous Idea

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Australian poet, Christianity, Jesus Christ, poem, poetry

The Dangerous Idea

How speaks this interfering Jew?
They say his followers are few.
He preaches much as others do.
But love your enemies?…….that’s new!

— D.N. O’Brien

Gingering Off

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Australian poet, Ginger Meggs, Megan Markle, poem, poetry, Prince Harry

𝐆𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐟𝐟

Now Ginger Meggs and his dark maid are leaving their relations.
They’re jumping ship, they’re shooting through, abandoning their stations.
They’ve told old Liz, and Phil the Greek — no longer they’ll be royals.
They’ll make hit movies and “write” books, and divvy up the spoils.

— D.N. O’Brien

ANZUK FORCE

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28th ANZUK Brigade, 8th Division 2nd AIF, ANZUK Force, Australian bush poetry, Australian poet, Fall of Singapore, poem, poetry, Singapore

𝐀𝐍𝐙𝐔𝐊 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐄

They come once more to Singapore,
To deter those who would wage war.
The locals see their garb and guns
Have little changed — these are the sons
Perhaps of those who were brought low;
But that was thirty years ago.

The Aussies, Kiwis, British boys,
Their distant Queen once more deploys,
As she plans to give up her best —
Retreat in order to the West.

Now fifty years have passed and most
Have left — have given up the ghost.
Their shoulder flashes slowly fade —
Like memories of their brigade.

— D.N. O’Brien

Sticks and Stones

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Aboriginal protests, Australia Day protests, Australian poet, poem, poetry, Triolet

𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬

If we had left you in your stone-age state,
Would you have stopped the Jap with wooden spears?
I fear you would have met a gruesome fate
If we had left you in your stone-age state.
Just for a moment pause and contemplate
A harsher history — and dry your tears.
If we had left you in your stone-age state,
Would you have stopped the Jap with wooden spears?

— D.N. O’Brien

Invasion Day

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Australia Day, Australia Day protests, Australian poet, Invasion Day, poem, poetry, sonnet, Spenserian sonnet

𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲

Again that loathsome day has rolled around,
And you strap on your armband black as night.
You’ll march upon the stolen sacred ground.
(And you may do this for it is your right.)
No storm-troopers will put your crowd to flight,
For the invader was enlightened man.
And you may prod him but he will not fight,
And neither will he seek to crush or ban.
And did he make mistakes? Well all men can.
But also he did good — so what instead?
Invaders mad and cruel? You seek to fan
Extinguished fire — the actors are long dead.
Yet you are bitter — shackled to the past.
While most give thanks, your flag flies at half mast.

— D.N. O’Brien

China Syndrome

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Australian poet, China Syndrome, Gravy train, poem, poetry, Triolet

China Syndrome

Just listen carefully and I’ll explain.
The Chinese are our slaves — they make our things.
We feed them iron ore and gas and grain.
Just listen carefully and I’ll explain.
The Chinese fill our Hell-bound gravy train
With all the stuff we need for our wing-dings.
Just listen carefully and I’ll explain.
The Chinese are our slaves — they make our things.

— D.N. O’Brien

Cheap Shot

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Australian poet, Climate Change Deniers, Denier, Holocaust Denier, poem, poetry

𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐩 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭

Denier’s a term that one should only use
For those who’d deny the mass-murder of Jews.
Used otherwise it’s but a form of abuse,
That lessens its meaning — that cheapens its use.

— D.N. O’Brien

A Reduction Deduction

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Australian bushfires, Burning off, Bushfire Royal Commission, Greens stop hazard reduction burning, Hazard reduction burning

𝗔 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

There’s no need for a Royal Commission —
All that money the lawyers would burn.
There’s a need for the truth and contrition;
And a need for the firestick’s return.

— D.N. O’Brien

Celtic Copies

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Alan Joyce, Alan Joyce gay Irish CEO of Qantas, Australian poet, Clones, poem, poetry, QANTAS, Triolet

𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐬

Is someone out there cloning Alan Joyce?
Our CEOs all look and sound like him.
The face, the fine physique, the tenor voice —
Is someone out there cloning Alan Joyce?
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of choice —
The prospects for diversity seem dim.
Is someone out there cloning Alan Joyce?
Our CEOs all look and sound like him.

— D.N. O’Brien

Another Royal Commission

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Australian bushfires, Australian national forests mismanagement, Australian poet, poem, poetry, Privitization of Australian national forests, Royal Commission into bushfires, Triolet

𝗔𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

When all else fails then have a Royal Commission.
When it concludes, the ash will be stone-cold.
Although it’s simple — fuel, hot wind, ignition;
When all else fails then have a Royal Commission.
The bush is in such terrible condition —
The forestry, once ours, has all been sold.
When all else fails then have a Royal Commission.
When it concludes, the ash will be stone-cold.

— D.N. O’Brien