I have some topics that are on my mind
Trying to concentrate on just one thing is hard to find
I’ll start off by discussing Canada Day’s quiet celebration
We chose to use this time for reflection as a whole nation
Remembering residential school victims is what we chose to do
How many other children’s graves will be discovered when all this is through
I heard a leader claim there will be over fifty thousand children across this land
This level of cruelty is something I will never understand
This week, a native village in Lytton British Columbia was burnt to the ground
After recording the highest temperature in Canada that was ever found
We know of two people who perished in this blaze
If these are the only victims, we should all be amazed
They were surrounded by flames on every side
The only means to escape was to hop in your car and just ride
Just one direction was your course to head out of there
Your whole existence wavered on a wing and a prayer
This settlement was decimated in one fell swoop
Yet another example of hardship for our indigenous group
This heat dome continues but it is slowly heading east
I hope Mother Nature finds a way of taming this beast
Last week’s subject that seemed so heavy, now seems so light
Are the Canadiens finished or do they still have some fight?
If they fail tonight, the season is done
This means two years in a row that the Lightning have won
Having the “Habs” in the final has been a welcome treat
Hoping that this will be their first win of four and Tampa Bay doesn’t repeat
Our men’s basketball team failed to qualify for the Olympics this year
They lost to the Czechs by two points and cannot appear
The women however have a team in their race
In the FIBA rankings they occupy fourth place
Will they reach the podium? We will have to wait and see
They are only one step away from being in the top three
Here’s hoping they achieve this and they don’t run short
After all it was a Canadian who invented this sport
Just a little over two weeks for these Olympics to begin
Get behind all our athletes whether they lose or win
I guess in a whole, Canada was my theme for better or worse
I hope after all of these issues we are able to right this course
No matter who you are we need to better ourselves each and every day
If you find someone who needs help, try to show them the way
We now know that our past wasn’t always that bright
It’s now up to each of us to endeavor to make these things right
The Black Sheep Poet 