I weep
for the fools who believe lies and hand power
to the deceivers, whose actions cry, “Destroy
me, please! Give
me, me, me what you promise!”
and then blame those
who try to keep giants from grinding fools into the ground,
while fools bless them for the feet
upon their heads.
Murmuring voices
racing around me, vacuum engine growl,
white noise.
Words without meaning.
Sound without sense.
There you are.
Your mouth moves,
but I can not hear you
anymore.
Mercy!
arm twisting brother menacing.
Mercy!
sexually charged boyfriend pressuring.
Mercy!
power hungry supervisor pushing.
Mercy!
posturing presidents endangering.
Mercy!
infuriated people demanding.
Blocked by memory
Limited by opportunity
Afraid of mobility
Paralyzed by stupidity?
Freedom to choose badly
Freedom to bully
Freedom is a power to manipulate evilly
Two and two is four
prove freedom is slavery.
#JustinTrudeau #cdnpoli
During Canada’s recent election campaign, the Conservatives denigrated Liberal leader Justin Trudeau because he had a degree in literature and was a drama teacher. (He also taught French and Math). They thought that made him incapable of running a country. I have taught Drama and French. I have a degree in literature. I smiled, because I truly believe that if you can manage a high school drama class, you can manage a country. If you were a good teacher, you’ll be able to manage that country with consideration, respect, and intelligence. As I see them, I will point out how PM Trudeau’s teaching experience is making him a good leader. These posts will be in addition to my daily poetry, so you won’t miss out.
On the first day of session, Trudeau went to welcome all the MPs to Parliament Hill. He told reporters this would set the right tone, that regardless of party affiliation, that each MP is in this together, working for Canadians.
This is precisely the policy of teachers, who on the first day of school (and days subsequent, of course) stand at the doors of their classrooms to welcome students, judge their frame of mind, and set the tone of cooperation and connection within their class.
I don’t understand
why you choose to be blind,
wrap the mask across your eyes,
I don’t know if you realize that hell is lined
with those who chose not to see the bullies,
who tear apart school yards, countries, and economies.
I hope your misguided vote is overwhelmed by kinder souls,
who are not manipulated by lies, who put on a helm and smote
the evil despot, those who decide to keep our country whole.
She has a history
of running down unionists
With gleeful righteousness
she watched them bounce
off the hood of the car
back in the 80s.
Last dispute,
this sweet little old lady
offered the strikers
a most unlady-like
finger.
This dispute,
she has stared
down the road with
patent disregard.
Workers should work.
Today,
she waved enthusiastically,
and a victory dance
was held on the picket line.
One more newly informed person
waking up.
.
.
.
True story
I will fight for what’s right.
I will demand my government obeys the law.
I will fight for what’s right.
I will stand in defence of contracts illegally torn.
I will fight for what’s right.
I will not blink when it threatens
I will fight for what’s right.
I will shout about injustice and lies
I will fight for what’s right.
I will shame them before the world.
I will fight for what’s right.
I will hold the line.
.
.
Our British Columbia government illegally tore up our contracts in 2002 when our current premier was Minister of Education. We have fought for the last 12 years against this injustice. Two provincial Supreme Court decisions ruled against the government, stating that they violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The decision demanded the government reimburse us for what they took away. As well, the United Nation’s International Labour Organization ruled against their flouting of treaties and international agreements. We are on strike because a government that acts illegally must be held to account.
The most recent Supreme Court ruling was in February, 2014. You can read the ruling here. You will see constant references to how the government bargained in bad faith, provoked strikes, and acted illegally. They are still behaving the same way, so we are fighting to preserve fair bargaining for all working people, because if they destroy us, they will destroy every union in the province. You should care about this. You should care a lot.
My last pay cheque came
with a 10% fine,
because I belong to a union,
and somewhere in the province
someone else striking.
Not me.
I’m at work today,
my strike day was yesterday,
but I am fined today anyway.
A government that has twice
been told by the courts that
its actions are illegal,
that it bargains in bad faith,
that it tries to provoke problems,
simply ignores the judiciary’s order that it owes teachers
ten million dollars it took from them illegally.
Nope. This government
continues to bully its educated citizens,
labelling scape goats and whiners.
Setting its propaganda machine in motion.
Sure that no one will believe what it is really doing.
Why is the public not up in arms?
Why are they not concerned
to see a government stripping rights
from its citizens?
Perhaps people are distrustful
of the well-educated,
so it’s easy to manipulate them?
Truth: 10% is off my pay cheque,
because someone else is demanding the justice today
that I marched for yesterday.
Sixty years ago,
our boys were fighting against
injustices like this.
They are likely turning in their graves
at the new chancellor
of British Columbia
and the apathetic
citizenry
who avert their eyes,
pretending not to see,
and mutter, “At least she’s not after me.”
Shawn L. Bird 