Alex Carrick’s Blog

The old Canada is changing very quickly. The interests displayed in the new Canada contain a considerable number of carry-overs, but there are also some stark changes.

The following ditty attempts to bring the sometimes co-operating and sometimes conflicting sentiments together in a cohesive whole.

Canadians love hockey,

you know that’s no lie,

still there are other icons

we’d never deny.

Polar bears and cod fish,

salmon, prairies and wheat;

toques perched jaunty on heads

                as we trek snowy streets.

Rocky Mountains and Mounties

and myriad shiny allures

have summoned the world

to shelter on our shores.

We have a dollar that’s loonie,

and quarters backed by a moose,

 so our gift to new arrivals

is a Canada goose.

Further scenes and images

serve to embellish

what each in our hearts,

eh, we’ve learned to relish.

Even our comedians

take detours to boast

of railroad dreams built

from coast to coast.

And the spray of the mist

at wondrous Niagara Falls,

plus ubiquitous beer and

Toronto pub crawls.

We hold dear our country

symbolized by the beaver,

save for those in Quebec

seeking mandate to leave her.

So not all’s perfection

in such a grand land.

For shame, flaws often lie

in the structures of man.

Corruption in government

high and low is endemic.

Commissions and inquiries

seem unable to stem it.

While a rash of such antics

may cause pain to see,

we manage to maintain

some petit bonhomie.

So hoist maple leaves,

everyone join the toast,

and sip a morning jolt

of Tim’s java roast.

None of the foregoing,

though, elicits the wows

hordes can experience

when they bargain and browse.

There’s a weekend activity

makes all else seem tame,

frenzied shopping in malls

is our national game.

****

Giving in to nostalgia is fine once in a while, but there can be serious repercussions if you Reminisce Once Too Often.

**

For my first book, “Two Scoops” Is Just Right, please click here for the paperback version and here for the Kindle e-book version.

For the sequel, “Three Scoops” Is A Blast! (with the award-winning “Size of the Skip”) click here for paperback and here for Kindle.

For “Four Scoops” Is Over The Top (containing Hemingway short-listed “Caboose Follies”) click here for paperback and here for Kindle.

And finally, for my latest book, “Five Scoops” Is An Addiction!, please click here for the paperback and here for the Kindle digital version.

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