The Voices of the Dead

Nimbin Cemetery, Australia, 8am Sunday 19 May 2019

I went to visit the dead today

At the cemetery and listen to what they had to say

“We are the dead and the victims of laws

And injustice the ones that died from your wars

People keep dying please change this condition

Of your injustice system called drug prohibition

There were mothers and fathers and young people we grieve

He died from FLACA at 23, one New Years Eve

Writhing and screaming he was overheating

Boom Boom Boom of the Doof then his heart just stopped beating

A whole family but the baby died in a smash

Of an alcoholic driver who had a car crash

The beaten and murdered children and wives

When pissed dad arrived home who feared for their lives

Let’s not forget those who died from cancer

Who couldn’t access cannabis as a life enhancer

Prohibition of drugs is social abuse

Locking up people for recreational use

Did you hear about how young Jake Monaghan died?

ODed from the drugs his mother supplied

Prohibition of drugs is an outdated law

That criminalises the socially vulnerable, sick, black and poor

Police become dealers and deal drugs

To justify their jobs and do deals with thugs

Selling black market heroine, cocaine and ice

To keep prisons full and meet KPI’s

Racially profiling the coloured and poor

Died in the lock up, crushed behind a cell door

As I sit here I am looking down at the ground

Where I performed CPR on a young man who drowned

Choked on his vomit we tried but he died

I met his mum dad and siblings and we all cried

Today I went to honour the dead

At Nimbin Cemetery and this is what I said

Dead spirits I’d love it if you would help me

Harm Minimise, End Prohibition and make Cannabis Free

If I was a teacher I would give you a fail

For your punitive justice system and the way that you jail

The sick, poor and black recreational users

When it is clear to all that the system abuses

Drug prohibition doesn’t stop demand for drugs

Just puts it in the hands of criminals and thugs

The cost of prohibition is millions each year

To imprison the harmless and put people in fear

Harm minimisation is good for your health

Sharing and caring and rehabilitate yourself

I went to the cemetery and listened to the dead

End Prohibitions their spirits all said