Priya

Trudging up the paved road after finding a car park
Takes forever to get a parking spot
Kids are hot and irritated
Finally the cool sand beneath my toes
The sun is about to set and we have not missed it

The sharks were sighted here just a day ago
But now we have the all clear
The bacteria was polluting the water five days ago
But now we have the go ahead
Human waste mixed with the ocean waters seven days ago  not safe
But now we can swim

We feel safe knowing very few can cross
from Antarctica or Tasmania to flee here
This land with the red Center
The dry bush
The sacred fire
Of the original custodians who have everything taken from them
We are settlers
On land that is not ours
No treaty

Yet this government says no to refugees
No to the boats in the far north
No to the children
No to the parents
No to all who are not white
1973 is when they said yes
Many of us came in thinking we could live here
Just like them
We realised soon we cannot
But we pretend

2016 they say no
Now they say no to anyone on a boat
Unless they are white
Temporary bridging visas
Making them wait endlessly
On islands small islands with jails
There are no bridges
The visas never arrive
No one gets to cross over

While we have a big island
and so much space
The custodians say yes
Let them in
It is our way
They say no
Stopping the borders
Patrolling the water from the air
For sharks...waste... people....