Monday morning I heard the news
and choked sad tears of horror.
It wasn’t somewhere far away
nor a crime done here before.
It happened down the river
east of my parents’ old home
at a mosque in Quebec City
at Sunday evening prayer.
He raised a gun—
shocked children saw—
spraying bullets
bending backs
six praying men
shot down
dead.
©2017 Ontheland
Ontheland 
Such a sad day, yes…
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Janice, it is always saddening to read about such terrible events but even more of a shock when close to home. Incomprehenisble.
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Sad indeed.
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Oh dear – your poem bought this tragedy home to me in a way yet another news broadcast never could. Thank you for writing it and sharing it. We are in danger of getting so over exposed to these terrible events that we lose the capacity to feel. You reminded me that compassion is the highest response.
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Thank you Suzanne… numbing is a reality yet we can’t possibly feel everything (we would be incapacitated) this event did affect me strongly..right or wrong, events closer to home get through my emotional defences the most–Saying all that I am happy to know that the poem did heighten your awareness of this tragedy as it has enormous significance I believe.
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I learned about this through a friend on the writer’s site I’m with. She lives in for half the year in Africa, but her home is in Quebec. She was devastated, and she, too, wrote a poem about it.
It was a horrible crime – vicious and senseless, but it is encouraging to know that the community, regardless of racial or religious differences, is united in mourning.
Where is it all going to end…
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A powerful heartrending poem Janice. Our country felt for Canada.
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Thank you Denis.
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Powerful writing.
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Thank you
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it was such a sad thing to read that day! Canada is one country which the world admires for its spirit , liberty and equality. More strength to your people and nation ! May these nuisance makers never be able to break the true brotherhood spirit of people.
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Thank you. I like to think and hope that tragedies such as this snap people to attention and increase efforts to deal with conditions that promote twisted thoughts and actions.
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very deep tho
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Thank you
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