I came over land I came creating words of song Giving voice to the land, the places The people I came over land I came creating sculptural paintings Giving voice to the dying, the discarded Fragments of nature I came over land Bringing dogs, tent and trailer Living a jagged story, sharp, Lashing and diminishing My mind. I woke each morning Fearful of the night time voices Two mornings I called police convinced he’d come, like Gabrielle in devil’s garb, I met with a psychiatrist, he affirmed my proposal of implanted thoughts, facilitated by his evil inside voice detailing my mental rape Police assured me the abuser was Thousands of kilometers away My body breathed, I worked on my songs my videos, I facilitated distance from the voice. My mind and Mary’s We comingle at rape. For 2000 years Women have been silenced, as Mary was silenced by ancient patriarchs who used her body as an empty virgin vessel. Mary like a Handmaid. I drove everywhere, north, south, east And west, looking for a rental home I slept in my car, and I was strong, Trying new means of survival We had a concert to celebrate new works I sang my songs, Annika played her Synthesizers. Patrick danced his Cherry we’re a full-on community now. I slipped over and went to hospital Strangers came to my aid, I learned To trust them, keep in touch They love caring for my lucky dogs. Respite at Hampton House, a barn-like home Of safety, security and 24 hour support I learned to enjoy proximity, to share, To trust my body and mind in company I’m in my caravan now, with my dogs I live my own life, that voice has impacted my safety often, but people in the caravan Park know, they keep me safe. I’m strong, my emotional dependence has dissipated, I know who hurt me, I’m beginning To see my rights, the enduring truth of my story my future in freedom and honour. I wonder what Jesus thought, His crusade to help the poor and needy, Yet he couldn’t help his mother The authentic hypocrisy of religion

I live in a caravan But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? I’ve got three dogs, I’ve got Capacity to feed myself and sleep safely But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? I’ve got a small job, 8 hours a week Pays for little things, car service, dogs health But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? I’ve got connections, at the pub People who nod, people who say hi But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? I’ve got my studies, PhD leading Into third year, a finish to my endeavours But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? My family’s estranged, apart from my mother My mother’s 95, developing dementia But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? But she’s better than the rest in her village She tells me, hugging her dog But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? I’m learning estrangement from the mother She never was the mother I wanted But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? I drink a bit, cider and wine That sets me free from my anxieties But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? I walk my dogs on the beach I love the salty wind, the blue and the sand in my toes But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? I’ve got a friend, but she doesn’t drink Won’t go to the pub with me But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? I visit her at her tiny house And our dogs play while she works in the garden But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? I used to have a vege garden, with ducks And chickens and bees But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? Got nothing now, just a caravan Three beautiful dogs and the breeze Got nothing now, but my PhD which will set me free To a future unknown, untried and unthought But you’re Happy Right? Got everything you Need? But isn’t that life?

Trained, a woman Married a plonky Midwifery trained, a woman Married a plonky afraid of women Triple certificate trained, a woman Married a plonky afraid of strong women Trained, a father said Give me a child when he’s three Trained, a plonky father said, You’re the mother, I’ll be silent Innovative plonky trained, a father said You must go to work in our restaurant Afraid, a mother maitred’d She grew from mother to restaurateur Afraid and only internally intimidated, a mother maitred’d She studied cooking to accompany a father’s plonky business Afraid and only internally intimidated, but publicly coerced a mother maitred’d While she grew stronger, a father grew powerful in patriarchy’s fold Publicly profiled a father said, A lot of things about food and wine, in mags, in newspapers, in classes Publicly profiled a father said This world recognizes me as the authority, the voice, the power Publicly profiled a father said I’m famous, Sheila Scotta cannot tell me how to cut cheese But she did and slapped his hand at dinner. A Father publicly scoffed at this powerful woman, to the end. That’s patriarchy

Every morning she searched the real estate sites and apps Signed up to view any house in her pitiful weekly budge Sipped at the bag-tea in the only cup she owned, petted her dog, fed him the pellets he ate in protest, it’s only for breakfast she promised, we’ll have meat for dinner, she hugged her bear ever third day, was her accepted practice on having a shower breakfast if she remembered, she and dog got into the old car off to the first open rental, she looked at every available studio, home, stable, no bedrooms, one or two, even three, it’s only for breakfast she promised, we’ll have meat for dinner, she hugged her bear she looked at new subsidized rental homes, renovated, fibro, wood, bricks, gardens, courtyards, she had to think of her dog, she looked from midland to Mandurah from the coast to the forested mountains York, Mount Barker, Albany, Narrogin, Carnamagh it’s only for breakfast she promised, we’ll have meat for dinner, she hugged her bear when the petrol ran out she said to Bear, sorry meat tomorrow night She pushed on, kept registering through apps, applying with all her documents, Collected during the early days of searching, birth certificate, passport, reference, rental, work, personal, Bears rego ‘n microchip numbers, name, age, gender it’s only for breakfast she promised, we’ll have meat for dinner, she hugged her bear She was invited by colleagues to play a set at the State Library, She had to say no, she couldn’t, she just couldn’t, no energy, no motivation. No money coming in, no money, no career, no work. Day after day, in the car, driving from house to studio, to house it’s only for breakfast she promised, we’ll have meat for dinner, she hugged her bear She had no money for petrol. Phoned the State Government’s housing hot line They gave her numbers to phone, don’t forget Fremantle Shared Housing Facebook page They said joyfully, round and round, St Patricks, No sorry we have no housing available, Try Anglicare, or the refuges, no I’ve got a dog she said, they won’t take me. it’s only for breakfast she promised, we’ll have meat for dinner, she hugged her bear round and round she went, back to Salvation Army, sorry we haven’t got any accommodation, sorry, try another number, and another, and another. Her car was the only place she felt safe and secure now, she didn’t have To pay rent any more, just find a toilet every morning, and Bear was eating meat. it’s only for breakfast she promised, we’ll have meat for dinner, she hugged her bear