Maybe I was nascent
or just too complacent
I couldn’t see
in front of me
they were just words
that weren’t heard
Residential schools
Polluted pools
Indian reserves
get what you deserve
tax free and alcohol
don’t break the fall
treaties broken
anger spoken
language forbidden
punishment given
removals and relocation
culture re-allocation
assimilate
annihilate
exterminate
is it too late
racist slurs
suppression burs
back doors
slanted floors
pushed back
accepted lack
stolen and chained
whipped and maimed
free blood labour
unwanted neighbour
slave
blood paved
freedom earned
crosses burned
poverty cage
unfairness rage
Maybe we can relate
there doesn’t need to be hate
Pain crosses thresholds
not competitions or molds
together we can heal
share how we feel
be kind
commonness find
let go of fear
start to hear
really see
our beauty
open our eyes
peel back the lies
start to hear
through the fear
be better together
a new forever
never again
alone in pain
open arms
come to no harm
equal and seen
forward from where we’ve been
(c)2020 by Catherine Elder
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