Our hearts still remember
The day the riots came,
When those who were meant to protect us
Beat out our brains.
We remember being pulled off
England’s breast;
The favourite child who became
Far less than second best.
We remember France’s bombs:-
Bombs for atolls,
Bombs that refused to give peace a chance,
A bomb to teach us a lesson
And destroy our faith
In fraternity.
It was the season we stood alone,
The season we became New Zealand.

Photo by John Mellor [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons