Immigration

[Richard]

Hey Mark,
I like what you did here. I especially like the title. I originally thought this was going to be a completely different poem, and then I read it and was pleasantly surprised by the content. I'll go into more detail below:

Immigration  

Dawn reveals faint shapes -I wonder if you could use a more descriptive word that "shapes"? Maybe something that alludes to the ships. Perhaps even changing the word "shapes" to "ships" in a sort of word play. 
at the fringes -I like your choice of enjambment here. The idea of being at the "fringes" was usually used to describe those affected by colonialism, so I like how you switch it around here. 
of the eastern horizon.
Perplexed fishermen gesture -How would they gesture? I feel like you could go into more detail here.
from wind-worn dunes -I'm stuck on why the dunes need to be described as "wind-worn". This might be a chance to describe the fisherman more. Since the poem deals with the idea of religion immigrating, you should consider expanding on how the fishermen might appear to those on the boats, or may be even incorporate some element of Aboriginal traditional beliefs.
toward the wooden crosses -I love this line. It accurately describes the ships, but also has a religious undertone that is crucial to this piece.
laced with rope, raised -I like ending this line on "raised" because it can have a religious connotation.  
upon strange boats
that hover off the coast. -Considering the religious theme in this poem, I would suggest thinking of a more religious word than "hover". I can't think of anything good off the top of my head. I would even suggest thinking up a way to end this stanza on the wooden crosses because it's such a potent image. 

A new God has come -I get why you say "new". However, He wasn't really new, but more unknown. What if you play around with the idea of the discovery of God? May be say something like: "God discovered/ in the New World." Like the "fringes" above, this would switch around the usual dynamic of colonialism.
to claim discovery
of a New World…

I feel like I'm being too harsh here because I do like this piece. I look forward to seeing where you take it from here.

Cheers,
Richard