Friday, February 24, 2012

While you sit and watch

For a good part of
our lives
we tend to sit and watch
the commotion
the gathering
the consultations
people doing the work for us

For a good part of
our lives
we tend to stay quiet
while the people talk
while the people point
while companies make plans
while the government approves

and before we know it
you'll see the helicopters flying
and
the announcement of this and that
and one day you'll think
what the hell was i doing that whole time?

People from the south
come and go
as they always have
but we, who love the cold
the snow to its fullest,
will stay and have children and
grandchildren, nephews and nieces
we'll want to stay here and will do so,
have a responsibility
to be part of everything
that happens here

because while we sit and watch
there are people interested in
your language,
your land, and your life
and they'll do anything to
grab a hold of it
they'll even spend money to do so

because while we sit and watch
there are a group of people
from vancouver, toronto and ottawa
looking over maps
considering which areas have diamonds
gold, iron and everything else in
between

considering ways of making it
seem that they will help you, when
in the end
they want to fill their pockets
with hundred dollar bills

considering ways how they can
retire with a cottage by a lake
how they can put their kids through college
and all of this while we sit and watch?

don't you think its time
we stand up and ask questions
stop them in their tracks?

don't you think its time
we protect something that
cannot speak for itself?

don't you think we should
all stand up and demand what is ours?