In my mind
A handbell rings
Fourteen times.
*Geneviève Bergeron (1968-89)*
Each peal
A different resonance
Ending a woman's life.
*Hèléne Colgan (1966-89)*
On a cold
Wintery autumn
Afternoon.
*Nathalie Croteau (1966-89)*
At Montreal's
École Polytechnique
On December 6, 1989
By a lone male gunman.
*Barbara Daigneault (1967-89)*
Whose name
Shall never speak
Again.
*Anne-Marie Edward (1968-89)*
Historically
Canada's worst mass shooting.
*Maud Haviernick (1960-89)*
For 3 decades
His misogynistic anger/hate
Has helped fuel
The Incel movement.
*Maryse Laganière (1964-89)*
Who blame women
For their dating failures
And personal lives.
*Maryse Leclair (1966-89)*
Remember my anger
On the 1st anniversary
Of the Montreal Massacre
March organizers told men
Not to come.
*Anne-Marie Lemay (1967-89)*
I was studying
For my first December exams
At Carleton University
In the nation's capital
Ottawa, Ontario.
*Sonia Pelletier (1961-89)*
Understanding
This anger
And frustration
Being released
By these grieving women.
*Michèle Richard (1968-89)*
As Montreal officials
Have taken 3 decades
To admit this stark reality.
*Annie St-Arneault (1966-89)*
The École Polytechnique deaths
Were a gender-based attack
Against women
Particularly feminists.
*Annie Turcotte (1969-89)*
In unveiling
A new plaque
At the memorial
Before the campus.
*Barbara Klucznik-Wdajewicz (1958-89)*
As 14 Canadian universities
From Newfoundland and Labrador
To British Columbia
Honour these women
With memorials.
Therisa © 2019
Author's note: Please forgive me, as I've struggled emotionally, to write this. Especially, as this yearSAD, has been the worse case, since 1990, when I started studying at Carleton Universty, in
Ottawa, Ontario. Canada's national capital. That year was a very wet and dark autumn.
The anger that I felt, at the time, was the frustration of being held accountable for
something, which I wasn't responsible for a single gunman action. Over time, I've realized
that this anger, wasn't aimed at me. Rather, at the way society treats women, in general,
second class citizens. Often, having men, in positions of authority.
Unlike the United States, Canada's federal government passed gun control legislation and
enacted handgun and long gun registries. Although, over the years, due to political reality
and ideological dogma, the system wasn't kept up to date, with the release of new weapons.
Also, the Conservatives, under PM Stephen Harper, scrapped the long gun registry, after
the province of Quebec, lost its legal fight, in 2012, to keep the long gun registry information.
During the recent Throne Speech, to open this session of Parliament, re-elected PM
Justin Trudeau promised to introduce legislation that would ban and buy back
assault weapons, like the Ruger "Mini 12" semi-automatic gun, used during
the Montreal Massacre. Previously, it was allowed to slip through the legislation,
with a 5 bullet clip, as the only restriction.
Personally, there is no need for these weapons of death and destruction, in the urban
areas, like the cities of Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal. Although, there may be some
justification for distance rural areas, for protection against wildlife and hunting.
The real details of the seriousness of the Trudeau government, will be seen in the
language of the proposed bill. And how willing they are to fight for its passage
through the House and Senate. Given the changes in the Senate, which has
removed all political party ties, between the two chambers of Canada's parliament,
with the introduction of independent Senators.
The title for this poem, is a reference to the 14 white roses, placed at memorial,
honouring the women, who died on December 6, 1989.
For more information, please click on the following link:: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_Polytechnique_massacre
