Ah was in tong when it happen. Dat very Saturday night me an’ meh frens went to see "Da Kink In My Hair". De place was pack, all meh people come out in dey nice dan dan. We clap, we cry, we laugh, we say ‘amen’. De part where dat actress talk about she son ‘Romey’ who leave de house good good to go party and en’ up dead in de parking lot on de cole cole grong - meh eye make water. Dey mention de names of we boys who would never again see de sun rise or de birds fly.

Ah leave de show proud of meh people talent. Ah went out afterwards to lime. Is only Monday morning, when I read de news, ah realize dat at tree turty Sunday morning, while me an’ de huzzy was chatting an’ saying how Toronto finally respecking meh people, dat very moment, Mistress Livvette Moore get a bullet to kill she.

Ah pick up de papers and meh han’ shake. Ah read de words an’ meh heart grieve. I din know de lady, but she was meh people irregardless.

In de winkling of an eye, some kiss-meh-neck stink-piece’ah-latrine-mess take dat lady life.

Is only because people wid broughtupsy would boof meh if ah use de language ah want to use, is why ah hole’in back meh mout’.

Dry so you come an’ wipe away four chirren mudda? Four chirren who daddy gone jes’ las’ year? Who mudda was de onlyest parent? Four people who go remember you fuh de res’ of dey life becaw you steal de onlyest mudda dey have? Easy so you come an’ change de course of dey life?

Who is you? Where you come out from? Who you feel you is to bring destruction in front we door?

You doh fine we have enough to do in dis cole, hard place? You doh fine we wukking hard enough here? You doh fine de overseer cutting we tail enough? You doh fine when de day done we should be able to go somewhey an’ jes free up for a few hours widdout you coming inbetween to mess we up?

It was somebody dey yuh come to kill? Somebody do yuh someting? Or was you jes’ looking fuh someting to do dat night? Why all yuh nasty bamsee heads cah solve all yuh problems widdout ah bullet? Why when all yuh have a row, is only knife an’ gun yuh pulling out?

Ent yuh could cuss? Den why not drop two cuss on yuh enemy tail, tell he how he dog ugly an’ he baby mudda frowsy, give he two steupse an’ walk away? Why yuh have to take a life?

De bullet doh have sense. De bullet taking who ever it fine.

It fine Mistress Moore.

As far as I understan’ she come out to relax after a year of hardship an’ pain. She come to breathe and you make she breathe she las’.

Tears falling on you - de family, de community an’ mines. Tears falling on you an’ you so chupid you doh even know what dat mean. You hiding behine ah bullet. Ah writing deze words an’ as Papa Gawd is meh witness ah cah even see de page, fuss de tears falling. It falling fuh Mistress Moore, it falling fuh dem four chirren, it falling fuh all meh people yuh done kill, all meh people yuh go kill. But it falling fuh you too. Why? Because you cah even see what it is yuh doing to yuh own self much less to yuh community.

I doh know if yuh head tie up wid rum or drugs or what. But ah know fuh sure you bline like a bat. Yuh cah see de bullet hole yuh leave in we community. Yuh cah see we life blood soaking out on de grong while we trying to survive. Is only a few of all yuh, but all yuh straining we back.

No outsider could strike we as hard as you. Yuh understannin’ meh? While you dey loading yuh gun wid dem bullet, we out dey cleaning and cooking and building Canada. While you aiming at we heart, we heart beating fuh we family and we chirren. While you dey pulling dat trigger, we taking day to make night to make ens meet in dis country.

But hear what I telling you. We bigger dan you. Yuh cah kill de strenk we bring here wid us or de power of we hopes and we dreams. Yes, we bigger dan you. We face racism, inequality, hatred, dis cole place what have some cole people. We overcoming everyting.

Fire yuh gun, but yuh cah put out we fire.

Readers' Comments:

• You asked a good question Queen, Where DO these people come from?

• That was beautiful...Girl, my heart went out for them children.  When the new called them orphans I started to cry because all they have left is their grandparents.  I pray her grandparents will take good care of them through their sad times. I pray for their souls to fly high in this sad time.

• I can't add one word. You said it all.

• Great piece Queen. What a sad situation. Too many idiots running around with guns. These days when your kids leave the house you have to pray until they return.

• Queen well said..........We overcoming everything, Yuh cah break we.......................WONDERFUL WORDS.
  You really wrote what many of us are feeling about this tragedy. Thank you for that piece. I am going to the bank to donate some $ to the fund RBC has set up. Wish we all could as a community. May God give strength to the grandparents who are left to care for these kids. God help us.

• Girrrlllll! I doh no wey do them you know....? Like my grandaunt would  say.....Another one of my grandaunt's favorite....."Every dog has it's day. If not here, but when it meet its's Maker". I think, one of the problems in our community. Is this need, to protect these asinine creatures...Yes, I said it.....There are people in the
  community....Parents, friends and associates who refuse to come forward to put these rodents away....You tell me.... nobody can give a  description....There are always people hanging outside a club....Nobody saw.. When they tried to get away. Nothing.. The license plate, the color or make of the car....Nothing.........I am sadden by all this...Especially for these young children....But I am also very, very angry........at members of  our community who refuse to put a stop to these senseless killing by coming forward.....
  QM's note: My friend you said a mouthful!