(Sydney Harbour Bridge, Corroboree 2000)

Dear old Coathanger,
be proud today and all the years to follow
that you carried such a burden across the bay.
Day after day the sea of shame brims over
with the tears of our black brothers,
the stolen and the dying and the dead;
children abused and parted from their mothers;
the land abused, parted from its protectors;
boys jailed for stealing biscuits hang; our blame.
Today the sky spoke for us.

© Gloria B. Yates