Poem: A politician's conversation with an asylum seeker

A politician's conversation with an asylum seeker

You want what!
To stay in Australia?
You reckon you're a refugee
because Indonesia invaded your country
and you fled across the Timor Sea?
Brothers murdered,
sisters raped,
mother jailed
and father disappeared.
Did that justify your fleeing across the Timor Sea?
On what basis do you claim to be a refugee?
Don't talk in generality,
of escaping oppression and tyranny
or simply wanting to be free.
You say if you return you will be shot,
come now; don't exaggerate, we think not.
We've signed oil deals with generals,
treaties too important for us to lose,
we know your comrades disappeared
and many friends were shot at Santa Cruz:
but we can't help you —
so go to Portugal if you choose.

John Tomlinson

From GLW issue 319