“An Ode to Reverse Racism” by Connor Lafortune
Poetry Pause is the League of Canadian Poets' daily poetry dispatch. Read "An Ode to Reverse Racism" by Connor Lafortune.
An Ode to Reverse Racism
By Connor Lafortune
Every day, I wake to the news
that more of my ancestors' bodies
have been found across these lands
spread like ashes from a wildfire
we did not start.
All the while my phone rings
to tell me of the family I'll need to bury
in a ground that has not yet healed yesterday's wounds
tomorrow and the day after next
we will begin the cycle again.
We are born into systems of harm reduction
every day, a reminder that our bodies do not want to live
or cannot imagine another breath of this life
always looking for the next thing to keep us grounded
onto a land that has yet to recover.
We redress our wounds with the colors of the sky
on the nights we can bear to do anything other
than look down at our feet
constantly aware that we are walking on a path
removed from any of our history.
I scream the names of my sisters on the street
and you think I am denouncing your own
I am just listening for the echo
of another stolen body
trying to make its way home.
Copyright © Connor Lafortune
Connor uses his understanding of the world to shape his creations as a writer, poet, and musician. He combines the written word with Indigenous beadwork and sewing to recreate the stories of colonization, showcase resilience, and imagine a new future. He recently released a single in collaboration with Juno Award winner G.R. Gritt titled “Qui crie au loup?” Above all else, Connor is an activist, a shkaabewis (helper), and a compassionate human being.
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