Canada Day, 2008

Warm sunny afternoon celebration

Of birth-date of this nation

Spent amongst the breezes and lawn

In backyards stretching across the land

No flag-waving Maple Leaf here!

Just simple time passed amongst friends and family

On lazy afternoon in shade of tree

Music and laughing

Long-necked, brown bottled refreshment

Trickling sweat on glass patio table

True north strong and free celebrated

With the amber nectar within

We stretched our legs and sat

While everyone has babies

And reminisce of summers past

And those that are yet to come

We compared suntans and tattoos

To show off at the beaches

Before the long dog days come soon

Eat our fill of hot dogs and hamburgers

Pasta and potato salads a-plenty

Spread out before us, we feast

And fill our bellies with gentle need for sleep

Then long shadows begin to cross

Rosy skies that grow to darken

Long clouds creeping in with night

And anticipate the fireworks coming

Slowly, darker, in the distance

As one hundred backyards begin their celebrations

Booming golden flowers blooming

And wither in smoke and crackle

Symphony of explosions and brightness

Quickly recede and fade in the night

Then our good-byes and this time parting

Waiting in cool breeze of night

Long streets grow quiet, with faint glow from houses

Night-time windows all shut until the dawn

As sleep grows to children and we alike

And end this day of birth of nation

This was how we stood on guard for thee

 

Reviews

[Cardinal Robin]

Yeah man true North strong and free! You said it all in a beautiful Canadian Rockwell...awesome!