Replies

Since I’m a bit of a Poetaster, and from the frozen north, I thought folks might appreciate a recent piece I did talking about a few of my opinions with regards to Canada/US relations...

Here goes:

To slog through the forests of pointing fingers,
And the endless snipes and blame,
Where the extended helping hand gets bitten back every time,
And instead of gratitude, the return is ridicule and hate.

For you’ve found out the hard way,
More than any other nation,
That success brings open enemies and false friends,
Your virtues diminished and scorned,
Your faults exaggerated and magnified,
And you’re suddenly on constant defense.

It’s easy to criticise the things America does wrong,
And to forget all the things it does right,
We’ll say that they’re brash, and arrogant and stupid,
And begrudge them their patriotism and pride.

We’ll call them a big, bloated war machine,
Yet forget all the times they’ve brought peace,
And we’ll talk about jingoism, and editorial slant in the media,
Yet forget that before America, there was little free speech.

And the conviction that everyone should have a voice,
Even if it’s a voice with which you’ll never agree,
Leads to a more vibrant society than when there’s only one “proper” viewpoint,
Because the leaders will mercilessly crush all heresy.

And if there’s one thing that America’s taught the world,
It’s what big dreams and hard work can really achieve-
That what social class you’re from is not as important as what you can do,
And few care what church you attend, or which philosophy you believe.

And we talk about rural poverty and decaying cities,
But forget that America went to the moon,
We’ll talk about the infiltration of the American Culture,
That we so freely choose to consume.

We moan that we’re treated like the laughable baby brother,
And don’t receive our due respect or rewards,
But too easily we forget, when the younger brother gets to stay home,
It’s because the older brother’s gone off to war.

And we insist on comparing ourselves to America,
Instead of concentrating on our own points of pride,
Because Canada works best when we work on improving ourselves,
Rather than trying to live a lie.

We’ll go to Buffalo to shop, and get cheaper goods,
And to the warmth of Florida in February and March,
To Vegas for some gambling, and New York for some culture,
And go to San Francisco on a lark.

And this sharing goes both ways,
As 80% of our exports,
Go to the United States,
And it’s no lie to say, that we ride on American prosperity,
And we’d be lost without this trade.

So why should we be shocked,
When Americans view our criticism,
As biting the hand that feeds?
Especially when we’re supposed to be friends and allies,
And America already has far more enemies than She needs.

And though some won’t admit it,
They know nonetheless,
That our ties shall never be severed,
For if the day should come,
Where America falls,
We’ll both go down together.

It would be far worse still, than the fall of Rome,
Should that shining city sink in the sands of time,
Because the new world powers, who are waiting in the wings,
Have long-term goals, which are far less benign.

Freedoms we cherish would disappear overnight,
And dark ages would surely descend.
And none could predict the ultimate fate of the world,
Or what evil such times could portend.

And those of us, who are truthful to ourselves,
Know that one thing has never changed.
Canada continues to be the True North Strong and Free,
Because of the Home of the Brave.