An Ode to Canada
And now, time for a very patriotic poem.
There is a country I call home,
One that sits on the Earth's frozen dome.
It's Canada, land of snow and ice,
But one I wouldn't give it up for any price.
It's a land where I'm free to think, do and be who I want,
Although, I prefer not to flaunt,
My fundamental rights for which I owe
Being able to have my freedom close in tow.
And right now, I shall show,
the nation I have the pleasure to grow.
We shall start in the maritimes in the east,
Where the storms can thrash the coast like a snarling beast.
Fishermen catch fish that swim in the sea and shellfish that live under rocks as squatters,
Occasionally lossing a catch to a crafty octopi or otter.
On the land, bushes of blueberries spring,
And in the bars and pups, the people sing
Folk songs about the mystic and fury of the sea,
But let's continue on, shall we?
On the mainland, we find,
Two of the four provinces that signed,
For Canada to become a nation.
And now, rests some of the cities with the highest populations.
Were fur trappers once hunted wolves and beavers,
Now live city goers and their pet retrievers.
To the east, we have Quebec, home to many of the nation's francophones.
To the west is where I live, Ontario, home to the nation's capital and some of the rum-runners who worked for Al Capone.
Out west we find, the prairies of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta,
Which just seem to go on foreva'.
Farmers work, day and night,
In hopes that things for their familes turn out right.
While the buffalo no longer wonder in the thousands,
Coyotes and other creatures remain denizens.
While this land is so flat that it seems you could look across a whole nation,
Like any other, this is a place that history likes to claim station.
From fossil dinos in the Alberta Badlands,
To Tommy Douglas, who could understand
That medical care is important and not just something messured in nickels and dimes,
So now not having free medicare to Canadians feels like a crime.
Many greats have come from this flat land, like actors, athletes, soldiers and inventors.
Even Charles Thorson, creator of many Loony Toons, who for many will be remembered forever.
On the west coast, we come across British Columbia,
Considered by some to be Canada's version of California.
With towering red-woods, centuries old,
To reports of UFO's and bigfoot, or so I'm told.
Movie stars flock to Vancouver's lights,
With movies filmed in "Hollywood North" soaring to great heights.
And with the 2010 Winter Olympic games, the world did watch,
As athletes preformed at their top notch.
And who could forget the territories in the North?
The cold, icy place that many an explorer went forth,
In sure of things like land and gold,
But often got claimed by the cold.
Polar bears stalk the ice in search of seals,
And arctic foxes trail behind in hopes of getting a free leftover meal.
It's the ancient land that the Inuit (not Eskimo) call home,
Although now alot of their dogsleds have been replaced with snow-mobiles with crome.
And although the future presents some trouble along the way,
The people there will find a path to live to see another day.
Ahh, Canada, Canada, a proud nation onto it's own,
That I am proud to call my home.
The world has given so much to it and Canada gives back in return.
In the world wars, we fought as brave as hellfire burns,
Making the enemy quake in their boots,
And who's peacekeepers (The UN trains them here) have often stopped world-ending wars fought with nukes.
These brave men and women are still honored in a special way,
Every November 11th, Rememberance Day.
In our nation, we've been a place to hide,
For people running from dictators who would let the deaths of their own people slide.
Many greats come out of Canada: actors like William Shatner, for one.
Creators, writers and millionaires (so much to be said and done).
Although not all are proud folks that are linked to us,
Like any country, we've had our share of robbers, murders and rapists.
The Great White North has had people like America's Bundy, Ted.
People I wouldn't blame you for calling wrong in the head.
Russell Williams, who gave sick new meaning to 'panty raid',
To the 'Black Donnelly's' who were unfairly slayed.
But I don't let that bother me.
This place is still home to my friends and family.
And it's not like there is such a thing as a 'perfect nation',
Every country has some sort of stain on it's reputation.
Besides, it's history and in the past.
But I better finish soon before this get's old too fast.
In short, I'm glad I was born in Canada, where the human spirit runs wild and free.
And maybe if more of the world tried to follow this, then maybe,
The world would be a bit of a better place, for you and for me.