Reconciliation Poems
“Racism”
R is for Reconciliation
E is for Expert Apologies
S is for Silencing Languages
I is for Insults Exchanged
D is for Discrimination at Maximum
E is for Ending the Sadness
N is for Negative Effect
T is for Taking Care of the Sick
I is for Imagination Eliminated
A is for Almost Alright
L is for Laws for Discrimination
“A Breath of Residential School”
Breathe in abusive behaviour
Breathe out Dance and Song
Breathe in the Indian Act
Breathe out Celebration of Culture
Breathe in Removal from Community
Breathe out Traditional Clothes
Breathe in the first Residential School
Breathe out apology on all levels
Breathe in torn Generations
Breathe out everyone being who they were born to be
Breathe in Residential School
Breathe out First Nations
“Torn”
*The Truth* something we have hidden for too long.
We all wish it was gone
Once we found the land
We were too Scared to stand
So we took the country by fear
and the religion was lost with more than one tear
We have tried to make good and we know that we should
but we are just trying to make ourselves feel better for the wrong that we have littered.
“Forgiving”
Before the School
we lived in peace
we were never harmed
but our culture deceased
when strange men came armed
They tore many families apart
they treated us like tools
then they broke my Mother’s heart
when they took me to their schools
10 years later…
After the School
I have endured much pain
to see the ones I lost
Now I’ve been freed again
but not without that cost
Now they try to apologize
they say they know how we feel
and though they can’t see through our eyes
the pain has started to heal
“Freedom”
Freedom
End of Sadness
Everybody is Equal
Love Everybody
Independent
Nice
Good People
Safety
“Hurt”
Hurt is being separated from your family
Hurt is bad health
Hurt is loneliness
Hurt is Pain
Hurt is no hope
Hurt is loss
Hurt is no light.
“Feelings about the past”
Unkind to others
Noticing the damage we did
Disgraceful of the past
Embracing our mistakes
Realizing the pain we gave
Sympathizing the pain we gave
Taking in all the bad things we did
Apologetic for what we did
Neglecting others traditions
Dangering the young
Ignoring others’ feelings
Not knowing what we did
Grievous in the past.
“Time”
Time for change
Residential School
Unfair Treatment
Torturing First Nations people
Healing Residential School
“Scars”
Beaten and Whipped
The scars on their backs
they are forever marked
and plunged into dark
the culture inside them
leaving ever so slowly
a new language new culture new ways new words
then must beat the Aboriginal child inside
and grow a new child within
to grow to learn to a new culture a new people
but home at last
But those scars will forever be on their backs.
“Loving and Accepting”
Knowing something this deep makes a big impact to your life.
Makes you open your eyes and look at things differently, feel differently.
Understanding and accepting others.
Everyone has a story, it’s just depends if you are willing to listen.
loving and accepting
one another
understanding everyone’s
different.
but still accepting
one another
for who they are,
and what they
believe in.
“Truth”
Abusing First Nations people
Residential Schools
Brainwashing First Nations culture
Healing First Nations loss
“The Healing”
First Nations we killed many
and infected many more
with our language and our
ways on Thursday 19 2013
we tried to heal that
but you can never heal
something that big
they accepted us and we didn’t accept them
in fact, they accepted us, we embraced them then changed them to us.
“No One”
No one should have had to leave home
No one should have been left with no family
But they were
So the only thing we can do is say sorry,
we tell the truth, we listen and understand.
Hopefully we will be forgiven and no one will be mad or sad
and we will come together as one and we will accept everyone for who they are
“Understand”
I understand how hard it would be at Residential School
I understand how hurt and child abuse can change someone’s life
I understand how much families miss their kids when they are gone
I understand now that Residential Schools are gone, most First Nations are happy.
“The Venom”
Now that we are free and Residential Schools are no more there is still the venom in our heart of hurt, sadness and broken hearts
After freedom. now they are gone we know to flee across many seas. Now I am home it doesn’t feel right because my language is no more.
“Remember, Don’t Forget”
I was taken from my Home
to be with others but all alone
and now in my heart joy has grown
but I have never ever shown
the pain and sadness I have known
There’s only darkness, no hope no love
there is nothing as pure as a dove
or even as my soul in here, the only thing that shows is fear
“Regret”
We were grabbed and led astray
but all of my heart told me to stay
but I feel no anger, no need for them to pay
I just want them to go away
to leave me be
because I’ll be free
but I can’t forget how they treated me.
“Pain”
Pain is a feeling that we’ve suffered at least once
Pain is what makes us anger to unforgive
Pain is being separated from your family and be alienated.
I feel pain when I hear their stories about Residential Schools
I feel forgiveness from our apology to they who suffered embarrassment
I feel lost when I see the sad faces,
I feel justice in our action
I feel love and happiness within our Nation.
“Forgiveness”
Forgiveness is the wonderful feeling of being relieved
Forgiveness is the sight of two smiles with love
Forgiveness is the touch of a family of all Nations in sync of a rhythm
Forgiveness is the warmth of our hearts glowing in radiance.
“The Poem of What Could Have Happened”
maybe
some of the
First Nations people
didn’t have to go to Residential
Schools. Maybe they spoke their language
and stuck to their culture with drums but most
could not most First Nations people
went to Residential Schools and
suffered if they were sick the
Residential School would let
them die and make them
speak English. I feel
bad for them
and I hope
they heal
well
“Survivors and Teachers”
Feeling Painful
Treated Forceful
English Making
Aboriginal Taking
Kids Hungry
Parents Angry
Hope Showing
Aboriginal Growing
English Stopping
Aboriginal Starting
“Listening to the Past”
Love
Ignites a
Show of
Tearful,
Elementary
Nerve to
Impede
Neglecting
Guilt
“Home”
Home sweet Home
Taken away love has been
cut in the families and souls
as they look back, families not there
It has all been pulled apart.
“Tears”
Tears ran down their faces
they are taken, taken from Homes
they are never forgetting the love of their families
Love is Pulled apart, apart from Home
“Hurt”
Not well treated
they were hurt
quietly crying, crying cause
of home, missing home and families
“Grateful”
I am happy for it to stop
I am happy for their healing
I am happy that they can speak their own language
Hurtful Hating Humans
I am sad that they were taken away when they were five because they are like workers that are in beehives
I am mad a what we did to the First Nations.
We were very bad by forcing them to learn English
Horrible Hurting Humans
Sorry
Ashamed
Distressed
“Belonging”
Listening to the stories people have told was hurtful for me to hear
because knowing they went through that and being taken away from their families,
I can’t imagine what I would do if I was taken away from my family members.
I know that many people have suicide because of having a hard life.
I feel bad knowing Canada did something like this to First Nations people,
They are still people, they aren’t different from anyone else on this earth.
That’s how I feel about listening to these stories
“Fear”
Fear is a pain that makes your heart scream
Fear is the sight of tears going down my face
Fear feels like the coldness of winter snow
Fear feels like someone breaking your heart with pain
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Wow! These poems are so powerful! They are well written, and really convey a lot of different kinds of emotion.
These poems are very insightful each in their own way.
These poems are really breath taking