Friday, May 31, 2013

The Grass Isn't Always Greener

Yes, life's always changing,
It's nicer or meaner,
But despite what's said about other sides,
They're not always greener.

Just because you can always find someone,
Who's happy where they are,
That's not proof it's the same for everyone,
You can't take an observation that far.

So, some people aren't where they should be,
Others happily are,
The question is how to find greener grass,
Before life gets too far.

Maybe you can't,
The world may need both sides,
Some meant to regret what they didn't do,
In light of seeing others in great lives.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

The Syrians Are People

I was at a wedding,
Two love-struck Syrians,
Their family on Skype cannot leave their house,
'Cause they're shooting Christians,

And that is not even the main conflict,
This two-year civil war,
Has heightened stress between super powers,
As if we don't know what the Mid East's for,

As if the U.S. wants democracy,
And Russia wants power,
As if anyone of us knows a thing,
While the deaths grow higher.

I'm just saying,
There are people in strife,
Far more than those fighting everyday,
Who want the embargo lifted on life.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Doug's Turn

I guess we can't ignore,
This latest Ford scandal,
Though selling dope when you're a teen, to most's,
Easier to handle,

Like throwing rocks through windows late a night,
Or even driving drunk,
There's behavior typical of an age.
Lots of respectable adults were punks.

Though this is not part of the narrative,
That's erected by Doug,
The media is the "social elite",
With a hard-on for drugs.
Why not just say,
Like a normal human,
'When you're young you do things you might regret,
That help you be a better citizen.'?

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Finding My Way

I don't care what you say,
It is your choice of words,
With images that slide onto my mind,
Like barbeque covers,

Keeping it clean and extending its life,
Making me think and search,
Easily starting to dig new paths to,
Potential hiding under untouched earth,

So that I can share my images, too,
Once I've emerged to light,
Eyes stinging, adjusting and now seeing,
How we all can unite.

So talk to me,
And I will listen, nay,
I'll live in your world using my own brain,
And maybe I'll fin'lly find my own way.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Bye Bye, Casino

So, the casino's dead,
With little resistance,
Ford's 'golden opportunity' 's tarnished,
By Wynne's Lib'ral province,

Because it doesn't want to share too much,
And there's no reason to,
When other cities are quick to play ball,
And give up much more of its revenue.

This is one issue I'll have to applaud,
The mayor got it right,
If maybe for all of the wrong reasons,
Or perhaps lack of fight.
What I will say,
Like David Hume before,
It doesn't matter why a thing is done,
It only matters who it is good for.

Monday, May 20, 2013

The $90K Scandal

If I was Steve Harper,
A well-known control freak,
He who ran on reforming the senate,
If that is what he seeks,

And then my chief of staff,
A friend for decades and someone I trust,
Thinks it is a good thought,
To pay Mike Duffy's costs,

An act of poor judgement, not to be done,
Without my own consent,
By first Nigel Wright asking me outright,
Or him knowing my bent,
Which, either way,
Makes me an accomplice,
Then the next time Nigel came for dinner,
We'd laugh as Mike passed us the Hollandaise.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Personal Power

What's personal power,
And how can it be used,
To ensure that you follow your own heart,
Even when part of groups,

Meant to create something in unison,
With others with power,
And diff'rent perspectives on how to live,
From all the other of the group members?

This is the problem we all struggle with,
Being human and all,
We need to live together in cities,
For all to stand up tall,
And be counted,
That's all anyone wants,
Not to actually become a number,
But be lauded for what others are not.

Friday, May 17, 2013

The Ford Saga

It's unbelievable,
Like the Leafs being out,
Like if Harper wore a tutu and said,
'The future is in doubt'.

It's not that I'm surprised that he'd smoke crack,
He is of the people,
And the people will still stand behind him,
Even if he's seen trolling for cheap pills.

What blows one's mind is that he's our mayor,
A fairly large city,
One of the most robust in the whole world,
Downtown or surrounding.
And here he is,
Forget controversies,
He spends time stifling debates on transit,
And wastes it getting kicked out of parties.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

The World I Paint

I wish that I could paint,
Though, I've not stopped to guess,
Of what my style would be if I could,
Which makes me now digress...

When I was twenty, I bought an easel,
Some paints and a canvas,
And attempted to paint a self-portrait,
With no formal training and no practice,

I didn't get far on that eager whim,
And never tried again,
But now I think I know what I look like,
With years-long duration.
I look like me,
In a world I've painted,
And if I showed you what I'm seeing now,
You'd say, 'It's a beautiful world, ain't it?'.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The Leafs Eliminated

My son's fin'lly alive,
For playoffs with the Leafs,
Something that was common as I grew up,
Salming, Gilmour, Sundin.

And what a story they wrote for themselves!
Coming back from three-one,
To a game seven where they're up three goals,
With ten minutes left in regulation.

The two of us lived in a ree'lity,
Of the Leafs in round two,
My son went to bed before overtime,
To learn that reality can be skewed.

It's a small thing,
A team being knocked out,
But still a memory embedded in,
A mind still learning what life is about.

If You're Not Alive

If you don't have something,
To help you stop and think,
To know what you'd hold most dear in this life,
If you had anything,

If you've had no thoughts of why you are here,
That is hard to believe,
Struck by the fact that you exist at all,
In those moments without a sound or screen,

If you have never strayed from living for,
Those things that keep you live,
'Cause you've not been given an easy life,
Or been given the time.

If this is true,
Let me help you live, now,
Let me take some of your burdens from you,
So you can see the truth life allows.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Why Steal The Truck?

It's a great conundrum,
With someone like Millard,
Someone you'd think has everything he'd need,
To live well in this world,

And of course everyone who has known him,
Says he's a normal kid,
With tons of cash and opportunity,
If he did, why did he do what he did?

But we all have in us another one,
Whose place is under wraps,
Venting the dark desires we ought not,
Explore within life's gaps,
Those gaps are for,
Figuring what to do,
To make this world a safer, better place,
So everyone can have what they need, too.

Friday, May 10, 2013

A Taxing Issue

Where does Mayor Ford think,
Money's come from 'til now?
Taxes are how govs get their revenue,
Not some sneaky cash cow.

If you want to choose the transit option,
Costing three times light rail,
And pay for it by tightening your belt,
It's good we've started with such a large male.

Of course now we have all come full circle,
After spending tax funds,
On consultants and debates and of course,
Lots of pulling of plugs.

Where're we getting?
So far, not very far.
I've taken the TTC once this year,
'Cause I spent all but three bucks at the bar.

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Jets Over The Water

It's really difficult,
To see which side will fly,
NoJetsTO is def'nitely NIMBY,
'Gainst Porter's bottom line.

If you've flown Porter, you have to agree,
They really deserve to,
Expand that runway to expand their reach,
And jet to places exciting and new,

But yet its affect on the Waterfront,
Already a sore spot,
Is greater than a thousand new condos,
Just fifty per cent bought,

Because water,
Represents our freedom,
Do we keep the landscape of that jewel,
Or make it something that we just fly from?

Monday, May 06, 2013

To Live Is To Rebel

Want to make a diff'rence?
I'll tell you how you can.
Don't worry about hurting the feelings,
Of strangers, friends and fam.

Ev'ry example in know history,
Of someone showing us,
That there can be an improvement to things,
Starts with that person being rebellious,

Which is the story of every change,
In or out all of you,
It is also what makes you a human,
Yet only shared by few.

And this world's not,
Meant for a minor'ty,
The most good for the most sharing the land,
Is the benchmark for all societies.

Thursday, May 02, 2013

Before It's Too Late

If you do not watch out,
You'll end up really old,
Looking back on your one and only life,
Not calling yourself bold.

Don't do away with all of the cliches,
They're telling you something,
That you don't have the time to think about,
Amidst all of this survival living.

You actually only get one chance,
At making who you are,
A process that continues throughout life,
A journey that's not far.

But, who am I,
To comment on one's dreams?
I've not yet found myself on my death bed,
And ends of roads are never what they seem.