John Tomlinson

The government tells those aged between 17 and 25 they've got to be either learning or earning or their social security will be withheld. Young unemployed don't need to be compelled; they need to be provided with opportunities to
The Queensland Government is threatening to build a dam on the Mary River at Traveston Crossing. This dam will endanger the Queensland Lung Fish, flood the nesting sites of the endangered Mary River Turtle and endanger the Eastern Cod. All these
John’s gone, he’s gone
and I’m forlorn.
The unemployed must cope
without his scorn.
Workers smile
and bosses frown,
why did the voters
let them down.
Eleven long years
of blood, sweat and tears
have given way
to workers’ cheers.
Bennelong voters
so it seems
exceeded all
my wildest dreams. @auth poem = John Tomlinson
I’m old enough to remember when a rendition was the singing of a song
and old enough to remember when we knew right from wrong
when clusters referred to gems not bombs
when the Bushes were places that birds hid in
when collateral damage meant you’d lost assets
when civilian casualities caused concern
when daisy cutters were used to mow meadows
when climate change meant it might rain
when we paid countries for their oil rather than invading
and I’m young enough to remember that those were better days.
Want to buy a second hand war? Want to buy the war in Iraq? We went there for oil, made Iraqi blood boil now we're asking what for and wondering how we ever get back. The profits have gone and hope is forlorn it's preloved, it's used and we
Mary River - childhood home

Poem: The ten point scam