Tell me you didn’t know.
Pretend it’s not happening.
Block your ears to their pleading
Cover your eyes so you cannot see them
Put up fences to keep your distance
Close your mind to stop thoughts
Oranienburg
Auschwitz
Dachau
Manus Island
Nauru
Christmas Island – a gift from you
Tell yourself you’re not responsible
Tell yourself it’s all their fault
Try not to see the children’s faces
Try not to think about the children
Try not to hear them
You will write your own history of this time
And they will write theirs
Pretend it’s not happening.
Block your ears to their pleading
Cover your eyes so you cannot see them
Put up fences to keep your distance
Close your mind to stop thoughts
Oranienburg
Auschwitz
Dachau
Manus Island
Nauru
Christmas Island – a gift from you
Tell yourself you’re not responsible
Tell yourself it’s all their fault
Try not to see the children’s faces
Try not to think about the children
Try not to hear them
You will write your own history of this time
And they will write theirs