Caledonia

Then we came out in numbers. As Canadians we came out in numbers with flags. With flags aloft and hooting we stepped out in anger and in numbers. In numbers …

Illustration by Melinda Josie

Then we came out in numbers.
As Canadians we came out in numbers with flags.

With flags aloft and hooting we stepped out in anger and in numbers.
In numbers as Canadians we came out drunk and threw rocks.

We threw rocks and golf balls as our patience had come to its natural end.
As Canadians we threw rocks past our flags aloft at them.

Having been finally angered enough we came out at night with rocks.
We’d been as Canadians infringed upon we thought with flags.

So we threw rocks. Rocks and a few choice epithets and golf balls hooting.
You don’t live here we’re proud Canadians in anger with rocks

and without patience we appeared in numbers around barrel fires and spoke.
Into megaphones at the OPP drunk and them we’d had enough as Canadians.

Citizens with flags and megaphones and our rights and some of our children
threw rocks at the very end of their young patience with flags and placardshooting.

Our kids came out in numbers to stand in solidarity with us as Canadians
into megaphones demanding we throw rocks and a few choice Canadians

without access to that road as our only route through anger with flags
aloft alongside placards and our kids angry to be blocked by them with

special treatment to be angered by rocks thrown in Canadian solidarity
with megaphones and our kids in numbers aloft in a wind over patience

our only route you don’t have to live near them as Canadians drunk with rocks.
We came out in numbers at night as Canadians singing around barrel fires and marching.

Ken Babstock
Ken Babstock's books have won The Griffin Prize, The Trillium Award, and The Latner Prize. His most recent poetry collection is Swivelmount.