This is tragically a true tale. This poor girl was sold into prostitution at a very young age, illegally "imported" into Australia, and forced to work as a prostitute in an illegal brothel. After 15 years or so, and now a heroin addict, she was arrested as an illegal immigrant and detained. She was forced to go cold turkey in the detention centre and after vomiting continuously, died from dehydration three days later. A story from the 18th century? No, Australia in 2003. Unbelievable.

Puanhthong Simaplee

Sometimes when I'm having a bad day,

I let stupid things get to me,

I worry about this, I worry about that,

I worry so magnificently.

Then I feel sorry for myself

and think, sheesh, it shouldn't be this hard,

I wonder why I get so darn tired

and at the end of the day, why I'm so battle scarred.

Then like some screeching train,

my misery comes to a shuddering halt

and your face stares at me from the paper,

the realisation is like a thunderbolt.

Your story, tragically, is not unique,

there's many more still living your pain,

the enforcers turn one more blind eye,

then it just happens again and again.

You were callously sold into prostitution,

you couldn't remember whether you were ten or eleven

and were brought to the great shores of Australia,

there, you were given your own slice of heaven.

But no gilded cloud for you my girl,

just a spunk stained mattress on the floor,

where foul breathed bastards had their way,

they didn't care, you were just their whore.

So from ten years of age (maybe it was eleven),

you learned to cope with and suffer your plight

and of course they gave you an ounce of heroin,

with it, you lost your last ounce of fight.

What a sad and tortured existence,

you must have been surrounded by so many blind eyes

and of course that blindness was paid for,

although this should come as no surprise.

Because this is supposed to be the land of the free,

but not for you, my poor wretched Simaplee,

you paid your way with your very soul

and for that, you have my undying sympathy.

I hope your captors rot in Hell

and have a long and lingering decline,

I hope, they too get rooted by pigs,

because after all, they are simply swine.

You were twenty seven and 31 kg when you died

and your last three days were hell on earth,

I think you've proven to this country,

just how little one life is worth.

So I hope you're really happy now

and have finally found your slice,

and when you get to return to this earth,

I hope you get a fairer shake of the dice.

I pray that those blind eyes learn to see again,

I guess that's what this tale is all about,

but I'm sorry, Simaplee, I think this is wishful thinking,

because you have my sympathy and all I have is doubt.

Copyright Allen Jesson :) 2003 

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