LAND FROM LONG AGO
They came upon this island
When they sailed the southern sea
A part of old Gondwana
Like no other country
They labelled it a new land
But names don't make things so
A unique destination
This land from long ago
Chorus:
A land from long ago
This land from long ago
They thought this a discovery
And claimed it as their own
This strange. new southern island
They planned to call their home
They sent convicts here to change it
To what they only knew
Disregarding its uniqueness
And its inhabitants too
And their leader drew a circle
A circle in the sand
A warning to the others
Of the changes that they planned
They spoke a different language
Some tried to understand
They were powerless to extinguish
The resistance they had fanned
© Jim Low
Note: The leader mentioned in Verse 3 is Governor Arthur Phillip. During an early explortion of the Sydney region, he drew a circle on the ground around his men when they met some inquisitive local Aborigines. He hoped this would keep them at a distance and allow his party to eat without interruption. This was perhaps the first of many boundaries to be made by the newcomers.
