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splinterswerve
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
splinterswerve.hotmail.com

a spoken word poem for Alberta Centennial, June 2005

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by Dale Lee Kwong

 

           the Bow River bursts its banks
           every century or so
           sirens... herald rebellion

they say one in two marriages ends in divorce
the rest in death
and... if you’re a lesbian
living in Ralph Klein’s Alberta
“It don’t matter
you’re just damned to hell!”

            on the bike path... Canada geese swim
            river debris
            flows faster than fire trucks

you who say i cannot marry
i wish you nothing but divorce, alimony
you who say “I cannot work beside you”
i wish you unemployment
you who say "Do not promote your lifestyle”
i wish you intolerance

           chocolate colored streams
           whirlpools of imprisoned wooden corpses
           ambulances... surge through chaos

L-Berta named for a strong-willed woman
birthed feminists ahead of their century
Emily, Henrietta, Louise, Irene and Nellie
who won the vote for women
though some could not love freely then

           water weary dog surrounded by toxic river
           can't swim - can't drink - can't play
           disappointed... like a man at a dyke dance
        
if you say i cannot parent with my partner
i wish you infertility
if you say your god cannot bless me
i wish you excommunication
but did you know?
my god still loves you

           under the bridge at Edmonton Trail
           a street church baptizes new believers
           into waters murky with silt
               
the colors are coming and we're queer as hell
are you red-ready? orange you glad?
yellow!!
splash green in the air
sprinkle pink fairy dust
and color me... empowered

           cracked concrete lions stand guard
           Sien Lok Park sculptures
           witness destruction... discrimination

don't think the Chinook winds
are just blowing hot air
“There's change in them thar hills”
I see it coming
clear as a rainbow after this storm

           Centenary Park spouts new water hazards
           rescue boats swim like spawning salmon
           tides of change crosscurrent

you who say I have a choice
I do... do, do, do-doo... do, do, do-doo
I choose to live my life victoriously
side-by-side your ignorance

           raging torrents make their mark
           Prince's Island causeway washes away
           damn!  the beaver's warning was ignored

it's too late!
I already live down the street
borrow a cup of sugar
call out your name
talk about the latest hockey game
and exchange recipes

           fount of insurrection
           gush forth and break all barriers
           state of emergency called!

L-BERTA
a centennial celebration
rain notwithstanding
Ralph notwithstanding
NOTwithstanding NOTwithstanding

           come hell... and high water
           above the prairie river
           rainbow rises... L-berta Rainbow

 

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More information:
Bow River Flooding
Same Sex Marriage in Canada