The Visit

Thoughts After the Visit

Friends visiting

From far away

Across the ocean.

They think they know.

They’ve seen the movies

Full of illusions.

“So PEACEFUL here”

I hear them say.

I stare: Peaceful?

Dusty Roads.

Burned down houses.

Death. Cancer.

Suicide. Alcohol.

Drugs. Gangs

Sirens wailing.

Racing by.

One after the other

Who is it this time?

Helicopter roaring

Above the house

Who is missing now?

Still alive? Already dead?

Why so much grief?

Rejection.

Humiliation.

Accusations.

Outside the community.

His skin is too dark.

His hair too long.

His features Cree

And some Sioux.

Is he stealing?

"No!

Just waiting for her."

They walk him out.

Of the store.

Though he already paid

For all his purchases!

In the parking lot.

A white-skinned woman yelling.

At him.

She does not see me.

“You scratched my car”

Now she sees me.

She quickly disappears.

Sirens behind us.

The officer comes.

“Have you been drinking?”

“No!”

Not in over 40 years.

But over and over

He is being asked

“Have you been drinking?”.

My white skin glows

Red with indignation.

But I am silent.

Or he will pay.

Fear.

Fear for his life.

Two like him

Were shot

And killed.

Left to DIE

In the night.

Murdered by

White neighbors.

A factory camera nearby

Recorded everything.

Maybe next time

It will be him?

Memories.

His memories.

His mother.

Father.

Siblings.

Haunted.

Nightmares.

Crying out.

In his sleep.

Fighting a threat.

In his dreams

Fighting me.

In half-remembered terror.

The nuns.

The priests.

White teachers.

The Residential school.

Unspeakable abuse.

Silence.

The news.

The media.

White people.

Others.

Silence

Our community cries.

They too

Discovered hidden graves.

With children’s bones.

Memories again.

Brothers and sisters,

Cousins

Nieces

Nephews

Friends

Disappeared.

Where did they go?

Other communities.

The same memories.

The same questions.

They too know

Where they are.

The tiny graves.

Silence.

Yet THEY talk again.

About the Germans

Another Nazi

Now over ninety.

Imprisoned.

It’s not the same

THEY say.

It is not?

I wonder.

Me.

The granddaughter

Of a Nazi.

Beauty.

Horses racing by.

Colorful.

Painstakingly painted.

Bareback riders.

Powerful.

Skillful

Dancers.

The rhythm of the drum

The rhythm of Mother Earth.

Every step a prayer.

Honoring The Creator.

Their people.

Songs.

Prayers.

Haunting.

Pleading.

From the heart.

For themselves.

And for THEM.

For healing the grief.

For forgiveness.

Laughter.

Fun.

Jokes.

Love.

Children running.

Welcomed.

Loved.

Celebrated.

An addict returned.

Fighting hard.

Celebrated.

Supported.

Welcomed back.

All this

They do not see

They do not know.

They only know

The movies.

Reality

They do

NOT KNOW!