early train

light rattle caresses the carriages

aircon soothes my forehead
trees wave past

eyes shutter as my head nods
train slows
along with a burst of dust

men enter draped with the Australian flag

that stir with their hips

eyes dart behind

they swarmed the next carriage too
beer breath and morning pong bellows throughout the train

they encase me

as the train chugs along

their flags and shoulders barge me
next stop, more flags march on

men pressed into me

their breath heats my scalp

my eyes clutch the floor
“you coming today”

shake my head

he huffs

his eyes stake my head
like the ground was staked to map out this track we’re travelling on

built by Blackfullas like me

on the paths our Ancestor walked, mapped by the stars

over a millenninia ago
train slows, i constrict

another gang of men
 a boot on my chest

i sink between bodies and chants

 they sing the land is full

my lungs

pluck for air
“excuse me! this is my stop!” my voice punches through their yelling shroud

i repeat myself – no movement

as i tunnel they sneer,

one man trips me
skin scrapes the station’s gravel

they laugh

“fuck off” “suck a black dick, greenie”

i crumble until the train departs
Get up

wipe the gravel off

 their smell grips my clothes
outside the station i watch

a white lady head barrel towards a group of brown women

straight on

a slow gore

huffs when they’re not impaled

splits the group with an eye roll
one of the women is wearing a no room for racism badge

i grin at it and her

check train times for when i can go home