Land Divided

The language
that I speak
the words
you choose
to hear
the history
we repeat
is all
that matters
here
the colour
of my skin
the palette
of your fear
the differences
we hold
so dearly
are all
that matter
here

I live
in
a land
divided
divided
through
the heart
by the
open
wounds
of
founding
peoples
still
a thousand
worlds
apart
from
the Haida
lands
and
the proud
Mackenzie
to
the cliffs
of
Newfoundland
I live
in
a land
divided
on
the Plains
of
Abraham

The flag
I choose
to wave
the culture
you protect
the treaties
we ignore
with
such benign
neglect
the
editorials
we read
the rhetoric
we hear
the politics
we hold
so dearly
are all
that matter
here

I live
in
a land
divided
divided
through
the heart
by the
open
wounds
of
founding
peoples
a thousand
worlds
apart
from
the Haida
lands
and
the proud
Mackenzie
to
the cliffs
of
Newfoundland
I live
in
a land
divided
on
the Plains
of
Abraham

Solo

Paddle
up
this river
up
against
the stream
portage
these
uncertainties
and
paddle
back
to
the dream

Or
we'll live
in
a land
divided
divided
through
the heart
by the
open
wounds
of
founding
peoples
still
a thousand
worlds
apart
from
the Haida
lands
and
the proud
Mackenzie
to
the cliffs
of
Newfoundland
we'll live
in
a land
divided
on
the Plains
of
Abraham
we'll live
in
a land
divided
on
the Plains
of
Abraham