CLARA LAYLAND RIP
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Back to my Grandmother
where she lays
in this burial ground
the same as what I’m gonna tell you now is

When she died
they put her on top
of an old T-model Ford truck
they put the union jack over her
pine wooden box coffin
they make them there

And all us blackfellas lined up behind

And the Superintendent
at the time
of the Moore River native settlement
when my Grandmother died
was the priest
he acted as a priest
with his bible in his hand
and he walked in front of the truck

And we all went up
this old gravel hill
up the sandhill
and zigzagged way down
to where I am now

We all stood around the hole
that was dug in the ground
it was a hot day

And as the Superintendent
was reading from the white man’s bible
all us blackfellas
stood around

Mum
and all her sisters
and her brothers
and her grandsons
and daughters at the time
like myself
stood around crying

I watched staring there
? at my mother
the sand was falling in
and we put my Grandmother
down in the ground

They covered her over
and 2 badgy? sticks was cut
made into a cross
and stuck on top of her
her grave

And we all left
and went back to the compound
stayed for a couple of days
went back to Mogumber
and went back to the areas
where we came from
travelling south

© Copyright Swan Valley Nyungah Community 1992, 2007

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