Sunday, March 31, 2013

Happy Easter

Let's not even question,
The version of events,
That says that Jesus died upon the cross,
To wipe away all sins,

Let's not ask if he saved everyone,
Not just ones not yet dead,
But those that were born and died before him,
Vikings, Pharaohs, Lydians, let's pretend.

Don't worry if he brought back Lazarus,
Let's not think about that,
Was he god's and the holy spirit's son?
Who know's who is one's dad?

Let's not worry,
About the truth of these,
There's already too much to think about,
With all these choc'late eggs laid by bunnies.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

The UN Drought Agreement

Don't know much about it,
Though it may seem to me,
That Canada pulled from an agreement,
That was necessary,

Especially since we started it all,
To help people in drought,
Through aid, research and world coop'ration,
And as a corollary, help ourselves.

Even if it wasn't run properly,
You don't pull from a pact,
Without giving friends a chance to fix it.
You just don't act like that.
And yes, who knows,
What goes behind closed doors,
But as far as us Canadians know,
Our gov'ment doesn't rep us anymore.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Report on Mayor Ford

No matter what you think,
'Bout our 'llustr'ous mayor,
You can't say he doesn't deflect focus,
From the deeper layers,

From public discourse about what we think,
Toronto should become,
Unless, I guess, you live outside the core.
I'm sounding like a leftist, pinko bum!

But really, what has Rob Ford actu'lly done,
'Cept pretend that the debt,
He fixed partly by raising prop'rty tax,
Wasn't something he set.

All his antics,
Fudging, drinking, gay flags,
Makes me harken for the days when mayors,
Were noted for doing their job in rags.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Winning Takes Care of Everything

Now that Woods is on top,
Nike's chosen to use,
His quote, "Winning takes care of everything",
In ads, and that's made news,

'Cause people think it's inappropriate,
Given Tiger's famed past,
"It's the wrong message to send to our youth,
That all's forgiven when you are the best."

But, who's still talking about what he's done,
Except to say he's back?
It seems to me that all Nike has done,
Is to express the fact,

That in this world,
You are much more ahead,
If you excel in a lauded talent,
Despite the unsavory life you've led.

Monday, March 25, 2013

How To Play With Your Kids

Here's the best way I've found,
To play with my two kids,
Arrange the scenario that you're in,
So you can stay in bed,

Like if they're jumping around on the bed,
You can encourage them,
By seeing if they can jump over you,
Until they've counted to a million.

Or if they want to play prince and princess,
Couldn't be easier,
You're the one who's fallen asleep until,
They pull the lost lever.

I love my kids,
Please don't misunderstand,
But if I can play with them and get rest,
I think we agree it is a grand slam!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Earth Hour

It's about awareness,
So you can stop saying,
"Turning the lights off an hour each year,
Does shit for anything."

It's about sitting in quiet darkness,
E'en for such a short time,
Talking, thinking or just cursing the thought,
Of living with no pow'r of any kind,

Of losing the connections we have built,
'Cross borders and oceans,
Because technology's not about ease,
But self-realization,
Through invention,
Which it affords us all,
Least those who can afford a computer,
With video editing software installed.

How To Tell A Story

When you tell a story,
All you can bring to it,
Is the understanding unique to you,
You're not just a condu't,

And of course those list'ning will filter, too,
That's unavoidable,
But the more honest you are when telling,
The less room there'll be to be malleable,

For when the message is straight and narrow,
You force others to see,
Through the eyes choosing what is seen for him,
Now telling the story.

But don't think hard,
About how this is done,
Thinking's got so little to do with it,
It's like a spontan'ous revolution!

Thursday, March 21, 2013

All The Injustices

What does it really take,
To rouse the sleeping ones,
Whose dreams keep them snuggled safely in bed,
During the rev'lution,

Against the injustices clear to all,
Foisted 'pon earth and tribe?
I am sickened to tears by the stories,
Yet I still cannot seem to find the time.

Here's what the problem is, in a nutshell,
There's just too much to fight,
Systemic oppression of everyone,
It's hard to see the light,

Shine through the sludge,
Caked on our very souls,
It's hard enough affording to live life,
And who would fight this life except the poor?

Sunday, March 17, 2013

The Ugly Canadian

There are many countries,
Like the United States,
That hold their companies accountable,
For actions of disgrace,

Executed in poor, foreign countries,
Like bribing and murder,
Discussed in The Ugly Canadian,
Written by activist Yves Engler,

Who notes that Steven Harper's government,
Doesn't much care 'bout that,
Forcing Congo to forgive Quantum First,
By unforgiving debt,
And voted down,
That Bill Three Hundred,
Attempting to force a code of conduct,
On the worst of these billion-dollar cruds.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

The S.C.U.M. Manifesto

Since it has been proven,
That males are not needed,
For the continuation of humans,
Should their life be ceded?

They're 'incapable of sympathizing.'
They're ' 'tween humans and apes,'
They're actually lesser versions of women,
Generating all hate.

Well I know some men who do fit the bill,
Also some women, too,
It would be good to eradicate hate,
But let me think of who,

Maybe not men,
But something in us all,
A lover didn't write this man'festo,
'Nor did a lover shoot Andy Warhol.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Pope Francis the First

Card'nals' av'rage age,
Is a ripe sev'nty-two,
So to them seventy-six is not old,
Nor is it very new,

And, to be born in the nineteen forties,
Means that all flower childs,
Might seem a little out of touch with life,
For god never meant humans to be wild,

Not to say the old can't be progressive,
Caroline's nine-seven,
Fighting proudly for the rights of all kinds,
Next to her gay small one,

But this old church,
Was born an earlier time,
When they were oppressed for their words of love,
Forced by the old ones in power to hide.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Bunny Monroe

What is it you're doing,
Little mind with no heart,
Being led around as if real'ty,
Does not play any part,

As if the desires of your flesh and blood,
Exist within yourself,
With no connection to the outside world,
And its threats and risks to your mental health,

As if the loved ones dying around you,
Are doing it despite,
Your grand disregard for their well-being?
Why won't you just live right?!

You a lesson,
On risks of addiction,
The need to follow the Christian faith or,
The frailty of the human condition?

Sunday, March 10, 2013

The Wedding Gift

Ev’rytime you discard,
Something into this bin,
Pressing gently on the broad foot pedal,
Resisting fingerprints,

The lid opens to show you other things,
You didn’t need also,
Think about what you choose to lose and keep,
In this world with more than you’ll ever know,

With its surprises you can’t easily,
Throw into the garbage,
But now you have the help of each other,
As you turn this new page,

On your union,
Just clean with a damp cloth,
And what you do not want will always shine,
On the desires of your hopes, dreams and thoughts.

Saturday, March 09, 2013

The Labyrinth

Take me through your labyrinth,
I'm sure that it will lead,
Once I am through, to the most precious parts,
That I have ever seed,

Up a notch from where I usu'lly live,
That's what we all strive for,
Though most of us don't put the effort in,
To even recognize that secret door,

That leads to a world outside of this one,
Not a comforting place,
Where one must face one's deepest desires,
With an open embrace.

'And why', you ask,
'Bother going through this?'
Because when nothing's lost, nothing is gained,
And understanding life is worth the risk.

Friday, March 08, 2013

Love Across Worlds

What does it mean to love,
In a different world,
Where no one has lived as you were brought up?
There're differences for sure.

But wait!  Are there differences really?
People are different,
Whether they were conceived in the same womb,
Or were brought up on different planets.

And you may be thinking, "why waste this time?,
Stating the obvious?
If any two souls were ever the same,
Then so should all of us."

That's the key, right?
We want to be diff'rent.
Just as within ourselves we can converse,
With mysterious minds of diff'rent bents.

Thursday, March 07, 2013

To Stompin' Tom

You had me at the line,
"boys are gettin' stinko",
You taught me so much about where I live,
And why to love it, so.

You were the investigative poet,
In residence for us,
From Wop May to the Hollinger Mines fires,
To Martin Hartwell's northern challenges.

At fifteen you hitched across Canada,
The same age I met you,
Learning 'bout Sudbury Saturday Nights,
And 'bout Bud the Spud, too.

So Stompin' Tom,
Thanks for all the good times,
You're an artist never to be forgot,
An inspiration, a one-of-a-kind.

Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Time for Everything

When you have the most time,
Is when you have the least,
And when I'm with you I've not time at all,
Because you're a time tease.

And I don't mind that all that very much,
How much time can we have?
Life is long and so are my dreams and hopes,
Just like the hints of a good life I gave,

Just like the dawn of a new day we saw,
With sand over our toes,
Just like the moment I looked in your eyes,
And saw- well, I don't know.

Well, time will tell,
There's more under the sun,
Than our time on earth allows us to know.
I'll take satisfaction.