ASPHYXIUM ZINE

Sunday, January 14, 2024

Poem: "The Forest Whispers" by Tanner Reiss

The Forest Whispers
Tanner Reiss

Walk in silence through the forest of darkness
Pay no mind to the footsteps that creep behind
The voices you hear in your ear are the
Whispers of the thoughts you hold so dear
Come on over my dear
Do you see that glimmer of light over there?
See how it shimmers without any fear?
That is the power you have not got,
And I am the knowledge you were not taught.
Aww my friend, do not be afraid of the forest,
For it is a forest you yourself hath made.
Surely you should feel at home,
Yet, you are still timid to roam.
Yes, the trees stand as firm as your hate
The wind howling with comments you shared.
It is not we who provoked your venomous breath
But it is we who have been culled to death.
Our walk through the forest just a brief glimpse
Merely a gander at the power of your pander.
Does it make you wonder about being pulled under?
Does it make you want to surrender?
Has it turned you into a coward?
Sit now down on a fallen log
Aside a bubbling bog
Take in the sight of your
Entertainment for the night
I promise there will be sex and violence.
Fall into a trance at the beat of branches
Loosen your pants for this dance
I am not sorry for this show being whorey
Nor displaying child rape upon a tape.
Uncomfortable though you feel
Know the story is real.
Do you still stand upon your racist hill?
Do you still believe Indigenous an eye sore?
Are you disgusted your skin the colour of whore?
Need I continue to show you more?

Well, here is Act Two:
Pots and Pans, not a garage band,
But weapons in Settler hands
Cast to defenseless bodies
"To kill the Indian" without worries.
Is your solution to homeless Indigenous
Still ruthless as a 2021 60s Scoop?
Walk in silence through the forest of darkness
Pay no mind to the footsteps that creep behind
The voices you hear in your ear are the
Ghosts lost in Indigenous genocide.
Their whispers whimper telling truths
Too horrific to depict atop building roofs.
But yet you claim no shame while spewing
Wicked vial upon their name careless of pain.
While we take this walk through nature
Take care to hear Karma's talk of torture.
I promise you will not be touched,
No mark shall befall your skin
But be aware, your thoughts of superiority
Will crumble in a fraction of our adversity.
No, no, no, keep your eyes looking forward
For you were not the one culled to death,
Why do you now shudder your breath?
Surely you are not scared to share this dance
If you refuse to diffuse your wicked stance?

Stumble and crumble trip and fall
Now you do not stand so tall
Take care my fair friend,
For there is but in fact
Still one more act you must learn.
Let us stop, about face, and turn
To face the blackness as forest consumes us.
Do you hear the deathly silence?
Or perhaps the silence of death?
No? What is it you hear being whispered in your ear?
Oh, crippling children chorus cries?
Allow me to strike again with reality
Presently the totality is
Seven thousand, two hundred, sixty-two
Finally found from two countries.
Do you still hold virtuous the solution
To Indigenous homelessness is
Enforced adherence to life
Within Reservations without resources?
Whilst yet you protest gang violence and
Addiction - are they not outcomes of your restrictions?

Come on over my dear, do not fear
Walk in silence through this forest of darkness
Remember this, what you have seen is
Merely a glimpse of our everyday horror!

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