"Edson’s vivid portrayal of the urban area, as well as the working class and underclass, creates a vision of Saint John that highlights the discrepancy between the pre-modern idyllic notion of life in Atlantic Canada and the more complicated reality of the region."


-The New Brunswick Literary Encyclopedia

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

GORD DOWNIE IS ALL OF US (a poem for a poet)



Gord Downie is all of us

He's our winter jacket
Our frozen mitts
Our sneakers in the snow
Our Hockey Night in Canada
And all the things we know

He's our 99
Our 87
His beloved #4
Our Bob and Harry in the booth
Our guy who shoots and scores

He's our Stanley Cup
Our morning skate
Our mullets fit to groom
Our local minor hockey teams
Our beers in dressing rooms

He's our bonfire chairs
Our Blue Jays games
Our fishing at the camp
Our CBC, our Double-Double
Our card games 'round a lamp

He's our Bay of Fundy
Our Hudson Bay
Our tides and waves and breaks
Our rivers, streams, and puddles too
He's all of our Great Lakes

He's our Group of Seven
Our Hugh MacLennan
Our Atwood and MacLeod
Our David Adams Richards
And all who make us proud

He's our Secret Path
Our dew in grass
Our sunlight and our glow
Our morning rain
Our pleasure pain
He's everyone you know

He's our 401
Our CN Tower
Our fields and forests too
He's everything Canadian
He's all of me and you




-Jerrod Edson

(We love you, Gord.)

18 comments:

andy said...

Nice. Really nice!

Jerrod Edson said...

Thanks, Andy. Had to get that one off my chest!

Clive Baugh said...

Good one!

Jerrod Edson said...

Thanks, Clive.

Anonymous said...

Jerrod, great stuff. Heartfelt and delivered in a tragically hip kinda way.

Jerrod Edson said...

Thanks!

Jerrod Edson said...

...Sam. I didn't know that was you...

BcM said...

Very well said Jerrod!

BcM said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jerrod Edson said...

Thanks BcM!

Scott Messer said...

Well done, great piece Jerrod!

Jerrod Edson said...

Thanks, Scott. Wow, it's been a while...Hope you are well.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful and so true

Jerrod Edson said...

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

You struck a chord !! Thank you for that !! <3

Jerrod Edson said...

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

That was well said...��

Anonymous said...

So true and well penned