Our series Australia: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow continues, with Belinda Hemmens exploring a very different slice of life from her previous contribution.

We Shall Survive

You've heard the funny poems of Aussie life,
But let's flip the page and acknowledge the strife.
I walked through my home town yesterday,
Saw the sights that make you turn away.
A man lies on a bench, he is cold, he is old,
This is the other side you haven't been told.
This man went to war, lost his wife, lost his house,
Walked from town to town, north to south.
His weary body can't resist, the grog makes him feel real,
And last night, he could not afford a meal.
Actually, he hasn't eaten for a week,
And we, as humans, turn the other cheek,
He sleeps every night, here on this bench,
People avoid him because of the stench.
He needs an Aussie hand, not pity,
So next time, open your eyes in your city.
Remember it's not just you who's alive,
There are homeless people thinking right now - we shall survive.

Our series Australia: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow continues all this week.

We Shall Survive

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