Poet Paul Connor penned this poem back in 2019 when there was talk about the Federal Government tapping into the superannuation assets of Australians – some $3 trillion dollars.
“It was my light-hearted veiled attempt to decry any government intervention into my hard-earned nest-egg,” he said.
He feels the poem is just as appropriate today.
MY BONE OF CONTENTION
To the Government of the day:
Now I have a bone to pick with you,
And I would like to have my say,
And being known as a man of few words,
I might as well fire away.
You see, I’ve worked my fingers to the bone,
Bone idle I’ve never been,
I’ve scrimped and saved for that rainy day,
For circumstances unforeseen.
And I have no skeletons in the closet,
I’ve never been a lazybones,
I’ve worked bloody hard for what I have,
And I’ve paid off all my loans.
But make no bones about it,
We’re facing the unknown,
Heading into unchartered waters.
I can feel it in my bones.
So I would say to the powers that be,
Pick the bones out of this,
Get your act together, and I really do insist,
That you all show a bit of backbone,
As I get down on my knees,
And keep your cotton-picking fingers
From my nest egg, please.
And if I had a wishbone,
There would be no doubt,
I’d wish my hard-earned savings,
Would just about see me out.
And maybe, just maybe,
You could tickle my funny bone,
And give me something to smile about,
And promise to leave my super alone.
Paul Connor
The Occasional Poet
