William J. Jr. Atfield | + Follow Poet |
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Essondale, the Riverview

Essondale, the Riverview

Was designed to be a place of mental wellness, a safe haven,
where hospital patients could sit under a tree and watch a raven

at play, never having to think of what the First Nations lost, 
nor just how much the toll, to their healing grounds, it cost.

This healing place, once dealt out such horror, untold abuse.
Not the design of the visionaries, not meant to be its use.

The government shut it down for so many a wasted year.
Thousands of patients, put out on the streets, living in fear

as drug pushers fill their veins with poisons of the day.
Our governments indifference, leaves them no place to stay.

Now the government wants to sell off two thirds of the land
leaving one third of what remains in mental health’s hand

Cities, groups, citizens voices, the government does not hear.
As time approaches, were money in their greedy hand is near.

B. J. “ A ” 2
March 1st 2017

Copyright © William J. Jr. Atfield | Year Posted 2017

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Patricia Cresswell Date: 10/13/2017 12:18:00 PM Oh god this has happened before, in Toronto when they closed Lakeshore. What are we becoming? Login to Reply Patricia Cresswell Date: 10/13/2017 4:05:00 PM You re a very courages person to back up your thoughts with such a myriad of actions. I am glad you are in this world. I too have fought battles, unfortunately now I do not have the strength but my poems fight for me. William J. Jr. Atfield Date: 10/13/2017 2:40:00 PM Good morning Patricia : Once gain Patricia, thank you for visiting my site and reading my stuff. As for “ What are we becoming? ”, well, all I am able to say about your question is, it is not most of us !!!, it is the greedy politicians with their hands in the pockets of the wealthy, the developers, their so called friends, the powers that be . I have been an advocate for the resurrection of Riverview as a mental wellness Centre. Doing so in a number of poems, in still photographs, in filming TV coverage of every protest, in letters to the newspaper and to our Premier, in writing a play for a movie about a Riverview patient, a movie that I have yet to complete, in having three painting commissioned, to represent the story and in having them on display in {{ Riverview our Iconic Landscape }} show in Vancouver’s Pendulum Art gallery . William J. Jr. Atfield Date: 10/13/2017 2:39:00 PM This will be my last reply to your comments my Dear, for it seems, from your every comment to my stuff , that you are not receiving any of my replies to your comments. This is a shame for you have put in some effort in commenting on my stuff and are not having an opportunity to respond to the efforts I have put in to enlighten, to show understanding, to answer your questions. Being computer illiterate my Dear, I am unable to explain this flaw in the system ??? Knowing that this is an effort in futility, based on the evidence, I will still appreciatively remain an avid reader of your comments on my stuff. At least you are getting through . As always Bill .