Missing

Poetry/Spoken Word by Ben Richard

A description from author Ben Richard (Metis from the Ojibway First Nation): This poem is dedicated to my mom and missing women and girls. My mom was taken from us when I was 17. I was too young to lose the only person who would love me unconditionally as only mothers can. She was killed walking across the street. I remember that day well, like it was yesterday. It was as if someone threw a grenade into the middle of our family. It took 4 years of appeals and finally the Supreme Court and fortunately and unfortunately we had closure through the court system "we had the person", but no justice, he was acquitted. I'm still affected by this trauma to this day. Fast forward to now and life in Winnipeg. I was at the Red River a few years back, volunteering, helping dredge the bottom looking for more women or girls. I remember when something heavy was coming up; a collective gasp would happen. How does the family of a missing women go on? What if someone just went missing? Do you mourn them or just keep on living, hoping that she'll walk through the door? My heart and soul go out to the families of missing mothers, daughters, aunties and sisters. May the great spirit watch over the ones that have passed and us as we hope, fight, wait or grieve.