A Paradise Lost

Take your old brown feet and walk
Walk forever proud across this place
But whatever you do, don’t stop
Whiteman is coming he’ll be in your face
Uneducated threat to your race

Take your old brown feet and walk
Make footprints that will stand the test of time forever
Make handprints of ochre along the way
Whiteman coming many things clever
And little or no knowledge of the Never Never

Take your old brown feet and walk
Get your people to join hands and be one
Make the black children stand together in Paradise
Whiteman is coming he thinks you’ll run
Knowledge of you, learnt through a gun

35 thoughts on “A Paradise Lost”

  4. Jason, I appreciate your point of view.

    Rather than make a statement that you agree with someone elses thinking…………….tell me why YOU think it is racist.

    Remember to ensure you research the author before you make further comment.

    I look forward to your comments.

  7. i think thatthe authour of this poem is saying that white people are bad and they are going bring evil to australia. that is the way i see it buddy

  8. Can you please advise the author of this poem, needed for an english assignment on poetry

  9. hi can i please have the authors full name
    i need it for an assignment

    great poem by the way

  11. hi i really love this poem I think it is great and really represents the way aboriginal people were forced to live and I want to do it for a drama movement assessment but I need the author’s name pls

  13. Not this time Jason,

    What the poem is saying is that white man is ignorant towards the plight of the real aboriginals

  15. hey its shae again i was woundering why you hadnt told any of the other people your whole name…i need your whole name for a project im doing at school! I love this poem by the way…for i am aboriginal an i can kind of relate to this poem!

    what do you feel when you are writing this kind of poem as it has passion in it.

  16. i like this poem because it encourages black australians to make something of and stand up for themselves. but when u talk about a race collectively, and demonise them – that can be taken as racism
    ps not all white fellas are bad

  19. I like the poem, but i can also see it from the point of view of others. I understand that the invasion of the white people has caused the Aboriginals many troubles. I know that indebating to make an assumption is a fatal mistake. This is happening all the time with every race.
    I was also wondering whether it would be possible to use your poem for an English assignment? Do youhave a biography? It would be nice to include it. Thanks Antonia.

  20. I would also like to add that i would like to know whether you are refering to the white people then. Or do you continue to believe that all the white people at this time are still like that?

  21. Paolo’s Poems is the outpouring of verse and prose from Paul Buttigieg, an Australian published Poet worldwide and Member of the ISP., covering a myriad of personal topics.
    Many of Paolos poems are used in Student School Studies with the permission of the Author.

  22. Antonia,

    Thankyou for being so kind as to read my poetry.
    The poem to which you are referring to is based in the period circa late 1700’s early 1800’s.

  23. the speak of racism in this poem shows the ignorance of some people. isn’t it ok for aboriginal people to be angry, white people stole their land, tore apart their culture, and hundreds of languages were lost…wouldn’t you be angry?

  25. thank you, Paolo, for sharing your poems so openly on the web. I discovered them by chance and especially like the ones on Aboriginal issues. Can you please explain Never Never? I know it refers to Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory. But what exactely is the meaning of Never Never?

  26. Hi, I am aboriginal myself and I think this is a great poem of how the we felt and still feel the same way today!
    I agree with Lucy’s comment because it is very true of how aboriginal people feel.

  28. hi,
    i’m in year 11 and i’m doing an in-class essay on issues affecting minorities such as Indigenous Aboriginal Australians, and how poetry can successfully be used to give voice.

    could i please use this poem to Analise, and would you by any chance have any other poems focusing on Discrimination, racism and loss of Culture?

    Also it would be greatly appreciated if you could let me know of any figurative meaning behind the poem I’m not clearly seeing.

    thanking you

  30. hey, can i please use this poem for an assignment i have to do at school? i really liked it, thankyou.

  31. Any one who disagree with Paolo, think where your ancesters come from. I am a white guy and i beleive that whites have done a lot of wrong to Aboriginals here just as much as they did in India, Canada, South America, Africa and more. So before you make a comment, use your brain, that is if you ve got one of course..

  32. I don’t believe this is racist what so ever. Infact I believe this is a beautiful poem. Jason read the poem over, you are obvisously extremely new to poetry and you are so bland and blunt to the fact that this is a great poem.
    Good work Palo,
    Jed.

  33. Hi, may i please ask something about this poem. I am studying this poem as a year 10 English assignment, and i cannot work out which type of poem it is. Can you please tell me? I’m thinking free verse, but i am not sure.
    thanks in advance,
    Joel

  34. This is a great poem, I think it is great it gives us a good idea on how it was back then and it is really good for my english assignment. Thanks 🙂

  35. To all of the people who are claiming this poem is racist, wake up to your self!! Where in the poem is their racism. Maybe if you actually took the time to read the poem, you would understand the message the poet is trying to convey. Now you you decide to open you eyes to racism lol!!

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