Tears from the graves
A poem by a retired Ottawa teacher about the children.
Today is the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and as I said, somewhat tersely, in this column, not even half of Canada observes it. We need to do so much better.
Nadeem Francis, a retired teacher who spent 30 years working with the Ottawa Catholic School Board, wrote a powerful and poignant poem about the children. Here it is below, shared with Nadeem’s permission.
Thank you, Nadeem, for writing it and allowing me to share.
Tears From the Graves
Dedicated to the memories of the dead Indigenous children of the Residential Schools in Canada.
For over one hundred years ago, We had been crying from down below, For over one hundred years ago, We had been screaming from down below, You closed your eyes, And plugged your ears, Pretending not to see the tears, That flooded our graves, Nor to hear the wails from down below, That shattered the earth underneath your feet, You, heartless soul, and cold heart! Did our brown skins offend your sensibilities? Stealing the lands were not enough for you, Ruthlessly, you snatched us from our parents’ hands, And delivered us into the infamous ‘Residential Schools’, Now, you had buried us on it, mercilessly! In unmarked graves, oh Canada! Oh, mother, where are you? Where is your compassion, oh Canada? Oh, father, ‘why have you forsaken us?’ We were your children, once upon a time, We were just children, Who wanted to live, love and be happy! Now, after over one hundred years had passed, You discovered that you possess a heart, Finally, you saw the tears bubbling to the surface, And heard the cries, From your children under your feet from down below! Where have you been all these years? Oh, conscious of the nation! What happened to you to be so cold? Oh, heart of the universe! Where is your empathy, oh Canada? Where is the North ‘strong and free’ oh Canada? We are your children, oh Canada! We are your orphans, oh Canada! Heal your children’s wounded hearts, Restore their faith with your love, Rejoice with their warm smiles, oh Canada! And let your “better angels” prevail, oh Canada! Let their sad memories be a lesson, Never to be forgotten for generations to come, Lift them to the highest, oh Canada, Let there be no more tears from down below, And no more cries from the graves under your feet, Remember them in your history books, Etch their names in your hearts, Act with dignity and honor, oh Canada! And give them a proper and dignified burial! “Never again” should anyone be treated like this, “Never again” should be a law, now! From the depth of my soul, These are but a few tears, From an immigrant, Who never knew you, Nor heard about you, Yet, his heart is aching, And his soul is being tormented, Just watching your grainy, Smiling and beautiful faces on television! May you all rest in peace! May God, in his infinite wisdom, Forgive those who had ‘trespassed’, And inflicted pain and death against you! And may your memories live forever! Rest in peace, children of God! Nadeem Francis June 8 – July 1, 2021