Impossible Gift

This is not the smoke of colonial rod

of scarred encampments, the prodding stick,

of the fires where infants were tossed.

This is not the smoke of the gift of grog

of paternal authority, of children stolen

of lubras raped, of smug denigration.

This is not the gift of denied genocide

of suicide in the white washed cell

of herding and terror and shrieking mothers.

No! This is the gift of purification

This is the gift of cleansing the spirit

This is a blessing, an impossible gift.