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Once our land stretched from coast to coast
and the drums of the people beat proud
we were mighty and we were strong
     we were happy . . . 
then the white came to our shores
they thought our land was theirs to take
they called it Canada
they brought disease unknown to us
when we fought for what was ours they killed us
    and we killed to . . .  
we were a savage people true and skilled at death
many of our chiefs were tricked to come in peace
     many of our chiefs were hung . . . 
                            they called this justice
             the whites stole our land and our way of life
they massacred the buffalo and bear only for their fur
and left their rotting bodies and we wept for them
the ancestors of our people fly with the eagles
drifting and falling on the wind
    their cry is our cry . . . 
we were herded into reservations like cattle
starved into submission and left a broken people
and they called this justice
but in each of us burns a fire bright that can never die
in each of us is a strength and courage
          a tranquility and serenity
we accept the past as the white acknowledge the wrongs
and the Prime Minister of Canada
is trying to say sorry
     with tears he apologizes to the people for 
the hangings
       the killing of our people
          the stealing of our land
            the 1960 scoop of our children
              the residential schools of abuse
                the highway of tears that goes on and on
yet, the social injustice to the people is still present today
             when they steal the land we have left
for pipelines, and other projects without our agreement
      we want to keep our lands pristine for wildlife
             we do not want polluted water where the fish die
some of us are living in third world conditions still
with no water, electricity, heat . . .  still on reservations
so you tell me where the justice is . . . 
I am just a girl of the here and now but
      but I hear the drums of my ancestors beating
                                      in my heart . . .

_____________________
April 1, 2018


Poetry/Free Verse/They Call This Social Justice
Copyright Protected, ID 18- 1009-383-01
All Rights Reserved.  Written Under Pseudonym.

Written for the contest, Social Justice
sponsor, John Hamilton

First Place
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