wrote a bit of a poem last year

I wrote "Choice  - how to vote in Australia" after reading that poet Peter Porter died April 2010 and was inspired by Antoinette Kennedy, the retiring chief judge of the WA District Court speaking on the law report – ABC radio national 20 April 2010 (I listened when it was repeated Sat 24th on news radio).


Antoinette Kennedy: It's becoming an increasing problem. The community has become more frightened of disorder than of tyranny, and the history of the law, and the history of Australia, shows us that in reality there's no reason to be more frightened of disorder than tyranny, and when you frighten people so that they are more frightened of disorder than of tyranny, they're likely to give up the rights that have been fought for since the 13th century, and they're likely to let politicians do whatever they please.



Choice - how to vote in Australia

Disorder or Tyranny

Are there only two choices?

You can

drive your car

They can

pull you over

Lock you up

Don’t argue

You may be shot

It’s in the National Interest

Not tyranny

No, not tyranny

Who said that?

We are keeping you safe

But what is dis

And when does it straddle order

Demanding its fuck

In and out

Out then

Out of order

What is out or order?

The dis-miss-kiss (order) must be put in order

Under the law

Overseen by your tyranny

Only then is our safety absolute

Is it?


24 April 2010 ©Anne Bentley