it isn't my tragedy

on this day in history

it isn't my tragedy
it isn't my war
but you brought it
to my door step.

my parliament
my home
my Capital.

don't give me
your damned
reasons.

I don't care if
you don't like
the cut of
my Prime Minister's jib.

you shouldn't
have fucked
with my country.

it isn't my tragedy
and yet you
forced it upon me.

In 1985 I walked
freely in parliament
I shook the hand
of the leader of our country.

no high school student today will ever get that opportunity.
October 22, 2014, it became my tragedy.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-shooting-a-day-of-chaos-leaves-soldier-gunman-dead-1.2808710

Author's Note

Reviews

[AprilRN1210]

pretty powerful piece girl.. I admit, I hadn't ever heard of it, so I thank you for sharing that link with me... it is sad some of the changes that the world has been forced to make in response to evil and tragedy.. this hits me on several levels and as always your writing is precise and affecting..


"it isn't my tragedy
it isn't my war
but you brought it
to my door step."..... this words hit me and have made me come back and read them a few times.. while I love the message of the piece, these have me torn... I once got into a long debate with a friend of mine from UK... he said that Americans are nosy and should stay out of everyone's business.. while I can agree with that to a certain extent, I don't think that we should ignore atrocities happening, famine, suffering, genocide, etc if we have the means to make a difference, and if no means, then help develop them.. I may be a dreamer, an idealist--but I still believe in the fundamental--love thy neighbor, and treat others as you want to be treated... we shouldn't wait to take notice to something, only when it is on our doorstep.. it is like me noticing someone get bullied by another, should I not intervene, or should I wait for them to attack me.. I dunno.. .not a politician, not anything really but a nurse who tries to help those she can, but I hate that there is such evil and think we should always stick together... (and yes, not naive enough to believe that we haven't been the bullies on more than one occasion..).. that makes me sick too... evil comes in many forms.. from the disgruntled employee, to the postpartum mother drowning all her kids, to the young children opening fire in school, to someone attacking a batman movie opening..

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you for the very considered review

[Fran Marie]

Such a tragedy...all this terrorism going on in the world..it's getting worse everyday..

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you, yes it is a tragedy

[Rob Santana]

Stay strong KL. Never give in to these bullies of the world.

[Lyn Anderson]

If only it were up to me. We all need to stand against it.

[Leslie Philibert]

A fine tribute to a free, democratic country proud of its tolerance. React with calm, keep your parliament
open as a light for freedom and free speech !

[Lyn Anderson]

I really hope we can. The first speech was all about cracking down and tightening up. That concerns me.

[s y e]

Oh I heard this in the news, what a terrible thing. Honestly, people just are so sick these days, no matter what... Innocent or guilty, you're not safe. Not even in your own city/country -- I mean, how freaking sad is that? This is powerful.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you, yes, it is sad, and frightening, and frustrating, and sickening, and whatever other ing I can think of.

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

Indeed the freedom grasped is a true misguidance of the human condition, well done, good read.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thank you for reading. Just emotional for me, as I am sure it is for many.

[Delmar Cooper]

Thanks for sharing. I'm so sorry that happened in Canada, it shouldn't happen anywhere at all.

[Lyn Anderson]

No it shouldn't. But unfortunately it did and will. Thank you for indulging my request. I don't send them out often.

[Delmar Cooper]

I have been neglectful of my friends, hopefully I can be more responsive soon.

[therisa]

KL, I can remember, how things changed, after the OKC bombing, as I was working, at Revenue Canada, in Ottawa. Sadly, things will never return, to those days, of a friendly wave and smile, as the guards let you, in. I hope, the paranoid security types don't win, by having everything on CCTV, which every thing is viewed, as a possible threat. Thank you, for sharing this poem.

[Lyn Anderson]

You are welcome. I liked yours better, but I had to say something.

[therisa]

Your welcome, KL, and honoured by your comment. I understand.

[Chris]

We only lose our freedoms WHEN we let them go. The lessons we build our life upon need to be brought back into focus - living WITH our fears and accepting personal responsibility is not the same as being ruled BY fears and creative excuses...

[Einstein Noodle]

i agree! .. especially "We only lose our freedoms WHEN we let them go."
E.

[Lyn Anderson]

Of course. I choose to do as I please but I can't do much about not being let in where I was once free to go.

[MomzillaNC]

It's so sad how our homes are warped by some madman's dogma! So much has changed in the Sates too since 9/11. And, we've been at war ever since.

[Lyn Anderson]

I know. Thank you. I lived on the American border. At Hallowe'en we used to cross in costume and avail ourselves of treats both sides. I once crossed accidentally in a sail boat with a friend. We got nothing more than a stern warning. That "porous border" was something great. Now it is seen as terrible and Canada's fault for being liberal. We should want that back, not say it was awful. It wasn't. It was wonderful.

[MomzillaNC]

I agree. And, just look how bad things have gotten in Mexico since the border has been strengthened. These madmen are afraid of people having that kind of access and exchange. How do you keep people terrified and under the thumb when they have enough information to know how wrong that is? To keep their control in this places, they create suspicion and paint enemies of every one who presents an intelligent way forward to a more enlightened society. That has nothing to do with God or government and everything to do with the dogma these madmen have made into their weapons.

[MomzillaNC]

Should have been "…of [everyone] who…"

[Lyn Anderson]

You got it. The terror divides and conquers, and separates us, when it should unite us against the terror, including the people who claim they want peace and the terrorists don't speak for them.

[MomzillaNC]

I think the most amazing thing about the response has been that the West hasn't opted for a scorched earth policy -- and continues with their talking points about tolerance and differentiating between those monsters and Islam. Given the cowboy mentality of the States, I'd say it's miraculous that the US has been making some of those talking points.