Bone to Pick

by Chanel Klein

we weren’t kidding the first time:
in Senate
          1890
when half-breed tongue-swallowers asked,
return the furs you stole
in the stamping of the Rebellion. 

you’ll answer to Bremner —
  (a Great-great-great)
and yellow bile
will spill at the bones
of your general.

aen noor
aen kaastor
aen footroo
           li pwel daanimoo

a haunt of spirits
for a debt uncollected.
          chi niipaywishik
a bitter scrip in spite
(you hope we forgot).
motes of dust
           i disturb
for the half-breed tongue-held:
i open throats to scream.

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Standing at 5’10” (or 6’1″ in heels) is the “Alberta Amazon” Chanel Klein, an Edmonton-based public speaker and comedian with a mean right-hook and a passion for poetry. At age 11, she published her first work of poetry and her second poem was published at age 30 in Volume 2 of the Capital City Press Anthology. You can find her nervously waiting for her turn at open mics around Edmonton. Chanel is currently unearthing her collection of poetry for a future anthology.