Reassurance 

Written in 2001

The future’s just behind us
and the past is straight ahead.

I asked George Bush about Caring Conservatism
and whether the people on death row
were getting a fair go.
He said “You should understand, my lad
they’re black and poor and useless
they’re sad and bad and mad.”
He said his message was heaven sent
and you had to kill the innocent
to ensure that the guilty repent.

I asked the Pope for guidance
and he told me that the world’s not over populated
just that there are too many people.
But with transgenic rabbits to light the night
and with their jellyfish genes
they’re really bright
and with battery hens and pigs in pens
we’ll find the way to a brand new day.

President Wahid said that the Indonesian Army
was protecting democracy in West Papua
by shooting dissidents who’d raised The Morning Star.
He said “We’ll grow rich without a hitch
by keeping workers poor
no matter where they are”.

I heard about the riots at Woomera and Headland
John Howard told me to be assured
that refugees are inured
to suffering.
It’s not as if they are human beings.

I saw the sun rise in the night.
It gave me one hell of a fright.
But they told me it’d be all right,
in the morning.
when the moon came up.