A Poem

Identity
Jordan Ray

Sitting in school
A blue chair
A stuffy portable
Soaking up information like a dry sponge
Cultural Invasion

What in the world is that?
I listened as my teacher told us about
The fifty-third state
The historical adopting of traditions and culture
From the United States of America

Life
Liberty
The Pursuit of Happiness
Mr. Washington, we’ve got those already
We don’t need all the junk that come with yours

We don’t need
Your guns
Your money
Your politics
Or your reality T.V.!

We don’t need
Your, “Land of Opportunity”
That steals our brightest minds
Or your wars
That kill them for black gold

We want something we can call our own
Like Wayne Gretzky, the CN Tower, and Free Health Care
Like Vimy Ridge, Pierre Trudeau, and the Beaver
Like the Loonie, the Twoonie, and dare I say it, the Québecois!

We want something of our own
Because if we keep borrowing from you
Mr. Washington
We’re gonna be so far sunk into late fees
We’ll be working it off for the rest of our lives



I’m not saying it’s all bad
I enjoy my iPod, Windows, Canadian Idol and McDonalds
Just as much as the next person
Well, maybe not McDonalds
And why does Windows crash all the time anyway?

We are a nation.
A nation of peacekeepers
Whose lawyers drafted the UN declaration of Human Rights
A nation of prosperity
Whose bread basket fed the world in the Great War

We are a sovereign country
A sovereign country
That will decide for itself which wars are worth fighting
A sovereign country
That preserves freedom, not oil reserves!

Ladies and gentlemen, stand with me now.
Stand with me now!
Be proud of your identity, for you do have one
Be proud of your country, for it is unique!
Repeat after me!

I am Canadian!
(I am Canadian!)
Louder! I am Canadian!
(I am Canadian!)

Louder! I am Canadian!
(I am Canadian!)

___________________
World Peace