They knew of racism and police abuse <br />And for retalitation the Kellys they had an excuse <br />Ned and Dan Kelly's sister Kate was raped by a man of the law <br />In the dehumanizing of the Kellys that was the last straw. <br /> <br />The lawman who raped Kate Kelly for his crimes did not pay <br />And before condemning the Kelly gang and bad things of them say <br />If the same thing did happen to your family <br />Than they did would you have acted differently? <br /> <br />In the old Beechworth prison where Ned Kelly served time <br />For horse stealing that does not seem such a great crime <br />In a small draughty cell on an earthen floor he slept <br />In worse living conditions any dog never kept. <br /> <br />Ned and Dan Kelly, Steve Hart and Joe Byrne paid for their ill fame <br />And each in their own right a legendary name <br />And though all of them did go to an early grave <br />It can be said of them that they did die brave. <br /> <br />Glenrowan where the Kelly gang made their last stand <br />A historical old Town in the Southern Land <br />Disrespect for their families the lawmen did show <br />And things might have been different for them did they receive a fair go.<br /><br />Francis Duggan<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/they-knew-of-racism/
