Tuesday Poem (Song): "Summer of My Life" by Archie Roach

She comes here everyday
This little lady with hair of grey
And she just smiles and shuffles
On her way

Through these hospital corridors
She walks along these lonely floors
To a bed
Where an old man used to lay
And an old man used to say

I'm in the summer of my life
I've seen the good times
I've seen the strife
I've just been under the surgeon's knife
Please don't cry, my darling wife

He came here a year ago
And the doctors didn't know
If the time for him to go
Was near

But when it came
And he went to sleep
She prayed the Lord
His soul to keep
And as she closed her eyes to weep
It seemed that she could hear

I'm in the summer of my life
I've seen the good times
I've seen the strife
I've just been under the surgeon's knife
Please don't cry, my darling wife

She'll sit there for many hours
And repeat her marriage vows
And place it there, the sweetest flowers in bloom
She sits by that empty bed
Her weary eyes are wet and red
And the words that he once said
Still echo through the room

I'm in the summer of my life
I've seen the good times
I've seen the strife
I've just been under the surgeon's knife
Please don't cry, my darling wife

'Cause you and I, we've had some fun
And our love has touched everyone
And in the light of the moon and sun
You and I have been as one

by Archie Roach

For more information about the songwriter and Aboriginal activist, Archie Roach, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Roach

Tuesday Poem (Song): "Took the Children Away" by Archie Roach

This story's right, this story's true
I would not tell lies to you
Like the promises they did not keep
And how they fenced us in like sheep
Said to us come take our hand
Sent us off to mission land
Taught us to read, to write and pray
Then they took the children away
Took the children away

The children away
Snatched from their mother's breast
Said this is for the best
Took them away

The welfare and the policeman
Said you've got to understand
We'll give them what you can't give
Teach them how to really live
Teach them how to live they said
Humiliated them instead
Taught them that and taught them this
And others taught them prejudice
You took the children away

The children away
Breaking their mothers heart
Tearing us all apart
Took them away

One dark day on Framingham
Come and didn't give a damn
My mother cried go get their dad
He came running, fighting mad
Mother's tears were falling down
Dad shaped up and stood his ground
He said "You touch my kids and you fight me"
And they took us from our family
Took us away

They took us away
Snatched from our mother's breast
Said this was for the best
Took us away

Told us what to do and say
Told us all the white man's ways
Then they split us up again
And gave us gifts to ease the pain
Sent us off to foster homes
As we grew up we felt alone
'Cause we were acting white
Yet feeling black

One sweet day all the children came back
The children come back
The children come back
Back where their hearts grow strong
Back where they all belong
The children came back
Said the children come back

The children come back
Back where they understand
Back to their mother's land
The children come back

Back to their mother
Back to their father
Back to their sister
Back to their brother
Back to their people
Back to their land
All the children come back
The children come back
The children come back
Yes I came back

by Archie Roach

For more information about the songwriter, Archie Roach, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Roach