For Us To Be Here

A five-year old child
Saw a slideshow in black and white
Like a silent horror flick
Pictures depicting
Captured misery
The teacher told them,

   "This is our history
   and our disgrace:
   these people displaced,
   erased, their gods defaced,
   their voices silenced and their ancient ways
   forgotten
   as we stole their children,
   banned their religion,
   stamped out their language
   and called them inhuman.

   We made promises
   we never intended to keep,
   murdered whole peoples
   and left the survivors to weep
   driven like sheep to where we
   gave them permission to sleep."

That wide-eyed child saw and heard
and their heartbeat punctuated every word
and when the teacher said,

   "That was all in the past.
   I know it seems awful but it's just the facts.
   It's so sad that we did these people wrong,
   that for us to be here, they had to be gone,"

They cried out,

   "Why are we still here?!
   If we owe debts that were never payed
   why do we spend money on things we don't need?
   If we are living on stolen property
   Why don't we leave, or care for it properly?
   If we're the cause of all this agony
   and might I mention, ongoing tragedy
   without reparation or even apology
   why haven't we taken responsibility?"