It’s the Thursday before Easter Sunday and it’s a gloomy day

Just a couple of more weeks and we will be into May

It rained all day yesterday and is supposed to stop today at noon

I am hoping all the predictions are correct and I am able to get out soon

Another case of the weather forcing us to stay indoors

I wasn’t able to get out that much just the week before

There have been a couple of warm days but they have been few and far between

Thanks to all the rain, my front lawn is now showing some patches of green

The lakefront has been quiet and I haven’t seen too many people there

Thanks to all the precipitation the paths are all snow bare

Nipissing is still full of ice and the level seems rather low

The beaches seem to be extended everywhere you go

All these local showers should aid in bringing the lake level to its peak

The water is fast and flowing as it meanders through Chippewa Creek

The melting snow in the forests will flow to other tributaries too

This lake could be in flood conditions before this month is through

It won’t be too much longer before the city crews are out in full force

To rid the streets and sidewalks of the sand that has accumulated of course

There will be dust clouds forming everywhere as they perform this annual task

This could be another reason for everyone to continue to wear their mask

I have officially packed my winter boots away and am now in sneaker mode

Now I am much more light footed as I walk along the road

I keep the puppy on his leash refusing to give in to his squirrel chasing game

If I were to let him loose, he would eventually just come up lame

He has the whole back yard at home to endeavor in this futile chase

With it all being fenced in, he is the ruler of his space

If you wanted to be adventurous and maybe make a wager or bet

Put your money on the rodents, he still hasn’t caught one yet

He is persistent and have to give him credit for this trait

Most of his quarry is able to escape under the garden gate

I can see crocuses sprouting but still none of them are in  bloom

This whole gardening frenzy should be kicking in quite soon

This past couple of years have taken quite a toll

Easter is the time we hope to rejuvenate our soul

For those who have experienced some heartbreak along the way

Here’s hoping that the healing for you is initiated today

So have you been following the antics of our Premier Doug Ford?

Do you think he is a man of his word?

Saying that we had the Covid 19 under control

While being re-elected is his ultimate goal

This is now the sixth wave of the virus in case anyone has lost count

The infections for the Province are once again starting to mount

Doug however is handing out money left and right

Instead of continuing in the Pandemic fight

Promising now that he will raise the minimum wage by fifty cents

Is his strategy geared to insult our intelligence?

Of course this will only happen if he wins the upcoming campaign

This only contributes to Ontarians continuing feelings of disdain

He held up signing up for the ten dollar a child day care plan

To me he is showing the traits of a seasoned con man

He opened the Province once again at the worst time

He and his cronies are partners in this crime

Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting

a different result

The fact all the people in power are becoming some sort of cult

It’s just like “Follow The Leader” that old children’s game

Now it is evident how they came up with the name

Can we not come up with a more practical plan?

We’ve been stuck in this cycle since the day it began

Not one politician wants to break the mold

Once again our new found freedom could be put on hold

So we will go through this scenario like we’ve done so many times before

Once again we have to wonder just how many more?

No one seems to be learning from the mistakes being made

Less and less of the population shows any concern I’m afraid

Meanwhile candidates are going to be out among us to solicit our vote

Ignoring the people and companies who have struggled to stay afloat

Making pledges to voters and ignoring the rest

Not making much progress with this Covid 19 pest

Perhaps it may be time to seek a new representative to occupy that chair

Someone who’s more suited to the challenge and is more aware

This past two years for the majority has certainly been tough

Our challenge is to seek out that diamond in the rough

So question each candidate whether they are established or new

Give them the chance to express their  point of view

Be very selective on the questions you choose to ask

This should help you determine if they are up to the task

This scourge is here to stay but we have to get it contained

There has be a policy put in to at least keep it maintained

It’s time to finally change things and try a different route

If you don’t have confidence in your representative, then just vote them out

A couple of weeks ago we decided to watch some flicks that were best picture nominees

“Belfast”, “CODA”, “Licorice Pizza”, “King Richard” and “The Power Of The Dog” we both sat down to see

We can honestly say that four of the five pictures were enjoyable to view

As far as the plot for “Licorice Pizza” I still haven’t any clue

We are now through half the list and still have five to go

When will we finish the rest? I don’t really know

Our aim was to complete them all before the awards were to be handed out

This way we would have some idea of what the fuss was all about

We both jumped on the bandwagon a little late in the game

You have to admire us for our determination just the same

Sunday we watched the red carpet interviews hours before the live show was to begin

This way we knew who the favourites were and who the experts were picking to win

Between phone calls, dinner and putting the dog in and out our back door

By pressing pause for each instance we were now behind an hour or more

Thank goodness it wasn’t the “Superbowl” because we fast forwarded the commercials, literally every one

We actually were in sync when the final award was won

It took six hours in real time to get through this annual event

I don’t know if this will classify as time that was well spent

The three hostesses that emceed this gala were very funny

Up until “Will Smith” took it upon himself to defend his “Honey”

A “G.I. Jane” remark to “Jada Pinkett Smith” and “Chris Rock” was under attack

“Will Smith” who was chuckling beforehand decided to give this comedian a smack

He went back to his seat and uttered some obscenities at “Chris Rock”

This unfortunately is what is garnering all the talk

Hats off to “Chris Rock” for staying in his place

“Will Smith” on the other hand is now feeling some disgrace

He ended up with the “best actor” for his “King Richard” role

His antics unfortunately has ruined his reputation as a whole

The acceptance speech “Smith” gave was intended as an apology as well

As far as the effects on his career? Time will only tell

Saturday he resigned from the “Academy”.  What they plan to do next isn’t clear

Finally, just in case you missed it, “CODA” won best picture of the year

I used to think that all our world leaders possessed some common sense

Most of them fit into this category but a few of them are just dense

I pictured them as sane and intelligent and that’s how they attained their position

Now I come to the realization that you don’t have to have all your faculties to become a politician

You don’t really need to be a genius to enter a  political race

Hell, you can be a complete imbecile and still occupy this space

The more news I watch the more evident it has become

I like to think most of them are astute but some are just plain dumb

I still get confused when their antics are on full display

Then all the members of their party let them continue on this way

Ignoring all the things they do and just avoid the press

If they run into a reporter, they ignore the questions they address

This is so prolific in the American political campaign

It rears its ugly head time and time again

With only two parties to compete, it comes to either or

Maybe there wouldn’t be so much hostility if they could squeeze in one more

It’s starting to get ugly on the Canadian side as well

Even with more parties, some bickering is starting to gel

With a minority government you have to work together as a whole

You have to be somewhat hospitable to achieve your final goal

This way you can get some bills passed if two groups can agree

You have to be more civilized when you have “Conservatives”, “Liberals” and “NDP”

Now when the day comes and a majority government ends up being formed

There could be a major difference in the way things are performed

Canadians and Americans regimes have had their troubles but things could be worse

We could all be living in Russia with “Putin” setting our course

This man has ruled two decades and sees no end to his reign

Then takes it upon himself to invade “Ukraine”

In his head he wishes it to be the “USSR” like it was before

He has slowly tried to reacquire it while not admitting it’s a war

He figured it would take less than a week to get this latest region back

He kept his whole nation out of the loop when he issued his attack

What he thought would take a few days just isn’t going right

He is now in his second month and “Ukraine” is putting up a fight

“Russia” has destroyed major cities and now are losing ground

“Zelenskyy” and his country are requesting aid from nations all around

How can the “Kremlin” let this egomaniac continue with his wrath?

Can’t anyone stop him from continuing on this path?

Is he just allowed to persevere in this annihilation?

There has to be a protocol to protect each and every nation

The more I watch all governments, the more I see them losing control

Backing up their leader’s insanity seems to be their primary role

“Republicans” still are pushing the “Big Lie” that “Trump” won the Presidential race

The events that are being exposed during his term are a total disgrace

This party seems to be ready to put him back in his seat

If you want to run as “President” , “Trump” is still the man you have to defeat

Thank goodness “Biden” is leader during this “Russian” attack

If “Donald” was still there, “Putin” would have his back

Sanctions are the way the world is going and Russia’s economy is starting to tumble

All because Putin’s foolproof plan is beginning to stumble

“Zelenskyy’s ” sane leadership is being recognized worldwide

He has all the nations backing him and are on his side

Still Russia seems to be sticking with their plan

Our goal is to protect Ukraine and put a stop to this man

So if you think this could only happen over there

Give your head a shake, it could happen anywhere

New evidence of Trump’s misuse of power is being exposed every day

Not sure if the day will come when he finally has to pay

All our concern should be for this Ukraine nation

Each of us should strive to help them without any hesitation

So many lives have been lost to a dictator who has no one to answer to

Sitting back and let him continue is what we choose to do

Putin is looking to China to aid him in his movement

Ukraine and their allies have shown some steady improvement

There has to be a way of stopping all this carnage, but how?

We are in need of a world leader and the time is now

A person who has the attributes of intelligence and tact is a must

The highest priority would be finding a person everyone can trust

I am up bright and early even though it’s Saturday

First news I hear is “Brandon Hagel” traded to “Tampa Bay”

Reality has set in and the trade deadline ends March twenty first

This is one move I whole heartily won’t endorse

“Hagel” was the catalyst of what this team could be

Getting rid of him right now makes no sense to me

They did get a lot in return from this “Lightning” team

The “Blackhawks” new manager is ripping this franchise at the seams

“Jonathon Toews”, their captain is now wondering what his future holds

With “Kyle Davidson” as the new manager, who know what else unfolds?

“Johnny” sounded a little downhearted when this transaction went through

Pondering his future and not knowing what he will do

“Taylor Raddysh” is one of the players “Chicago” got in return

This just gives this fan a reason to show some concern

With “DeBrincat” and “Strome” this reunites a potent “Erie Otters” line

Is this something that “Davidson” had in mind?

This raises even more questions because “Kane” now plays with these two

Kind of makes me wonder what’s the next thing that he will do?

If he’s going to clean up house, he might be selling everyone out

When you are in a rebuild, that’s what it’s all about

“Fleury” still hasn’t been traded, I can’t see him wanting to stay here

Rumours are he is going back to “Pittsburgh” to finish off his career

This somehow just seems fitting if he decided to depart

Going back to the team that believed in him right from the start

So if they trade him now they will get more bang for their buck

I hope he wins another “Stanley Cup” and wish him the best of luck

“Fleury” has no contract next year and it’s the only way the “Hawks” will gain

Which now brings us to their biggest star, of course it’s “Patrick Kane”

The “Rangers” are rumoured to be interested and want him to reunite with his old teammate

When “Panarin” and “Kane” on the same line would make this team great

“Toews” and “Kane’s” contracts are finished after next season

With this new rebuild, they may both want to be out for this very reason

The next couple of days will be interesting to see what moves are made

How this new formed foundation is being laid

Over this summer there will be more athletes being moved

This team will be new and hopefully improved

“Davidson” is the youngest “General Manager” and wants to make a name

The product he puts on the ice has to improve their game

Who knows who will be wearing the uniform when the new season begins?

Hopefully the losses won’t again outnumber the wins

This Pandemic now has entered into year number three

As of March twenty first, Ontario will be mask free

This will be an option that you can give or take

Conveniently lifted after the March break

They are going to eliminate the masks for schools altogether

Just in time for spring which will bring some better weather

Hopefully it heats up enough to allow in some fresh air

Could we finally come to an end of all of this despair?

We have been through so many highs and lows, has anyone kept score?

I just want to get life back to the way it was before

I hate the fact that this has also become a political germ

Doug Ford could be easing this to obtain a second term

Regardless of what happens, I have tried to stay optimistic

It would be helpful if our leaders could be altruistic

They seem so concerned about themselves and their party as a whole

Instead of working together to achieve this final goal

I am going to keep on doing what I have been practicing all along

We are supposed to follow the guidelines whether you think they’re right or wrong

Yet another variant is now making its debut

As far as its potency, no one seems to have a clue

I have tried to stay upbeat throughout this dismal event

Still waiting for this virus to make its final descent

All the articles and videos to watch have become too time consuming

I have decided to cut this down as well as my personal grooming

Months ago I decided to let my hair grow and also not to shave

Being stringent to the rules, this was a way for me to misbehave

My hair has become so long I could do a comb over to eliminate my skull’s glare

My beard that once grew in red and brown is now just gray everywhere

One grand-daughter says I look like Kris Kringle

All I need is a Santa hat and some bells to jingle

She was real excited and already knew this

Was the fact that my first name is actually Chris!!

I now have this and my mask to hide my face

This is now a major improvement, especially in my case

I actually have some hair and now a beard to comb

If I wore a pointy hat I could pass as a garden gnome

I am now at a fork in the road and not sure what path to take

I may have to come to a decision that I said I wouldn’t make

I promised to continue on my quest until this Covid 19 was finished

It still looms among us although at times it has diminished

As the temperatures increase, I may have to go back on my word

Getting overheated in the summer is something this guy can’t afford

I mustn’t let my pumper work too hard to keep me cool

In order to maintain my health, I must adhere to this rule

If I were to continue, eventually I would be stepping on my beard

My “skullet” would be past my ass and make me look even more weird

Here’s hoping that everyone is able to stay healthy and well

This virus and all its variations could still be here for quite a spell

In this poem you should be alerted that I have altered certain words

Using anagrams like “mean” and “name” are a couple that you have heard

This means using the same letters like “post” and “stop” are being used

Only two, not lots are used in each line, so don’t get lost and too confused

This poem you’ll see veers from verse to verse

I’ll steer and try to avoid the trees but still may go off course

Politics is perhaps is one of the items that I have used too many times

What everyone hears is what I share when I am making up these rhymes

With all this despair, I am not looking to be praised for what I write

So many types of hatreds in the world, you can try your hardest and never be right

We live with all this evil that’s why I try to lighten things a bit

Too many tales of Trump on my slate, I really have to admit

I try not to get too verbose on the things that I observe along the way

The notes and tones I choose to use can vary from day to day

Sometimes people have reacted to lines I created and in turn inspire me more

Reward is nothing I have craved, I used to just throw these poems in a drawer

I have now grown myself a beard and still trying to bake me some bread

I fill the pans in a snap and throw them in the machine instead

The plan was to post this poem before this appliance came to a stop

Nope, if you want to open it, you get to glance at it from the top

This is the hardest poem and I almost trashed it before I was through

I aspired to complete this but despair has set in now too

In general my poems are bigger but I don’t choose to enlarge this one

This will mean that this is the shortest, amen and now it’s done

So Putin finally did it, he invaded Ukraine

This so called diplomacy was all in vain

The rest of the world can’t sit back and just ignore

This is the largest invasion in Europe since the second world war

Cruise missiles and artillery have gone on nonstop for days

Sending thousands of Ukrainians packing and on their ways

Railway lines and highways clogged wherever they choose to go

The country not having the facilities to handle this huge outflow

President Zelensky put his own mortality aside

Telling western leaders he isn’t looking for a ride

The United States offered him a safe way out of his nation

He told them he wasn’t interested in any evacuation

Told these western leaders that he was in it for the fight

While broadcasting videos to show what’s wrong and right

He told these countries “I need ammunition, not a ride”

We will be defending our country and said it full of pride

Three hundred and fifty million dollars of U.S. assistance is on its way

I’m hoping that it gets there soon, they can’t afford any delay

Poland and Hungary have opened their borders and sit in wait

They are allowing all these refugees passage through their gates

More than one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers are waiting at Russia’s command

The Ukrainians are determined that they must defend their land

Sanctions against Putin himself are part of the western plan

At this point I don’t think there is any way of stopping this man

Biden is being criticized for the efforts he put in place

The flack is coming from the Republicans in this case

They seem to be cheering for the Russian leader in this scenario

One has to  wonder where did this party go?

Trump is backing Putin and calling him a genius in this whole affair

Donald is Vlady’s puppet as we are all aware

Fox News is backing team Russia as well in this campaign

With Tucker Carlson the spokesman, can it be any more insane?

Sanctions aren’t going to do it, we have to have Ukraine’s back

Thousands of innocent people are going to perish in this attack

How much is it going to hurt by taking vodka off the store shelf?

This nation won’t be able to stop Putin all by themselves

Common sense would be to set differences aside and help Ukraine out

I’m so tired of all the bickering and Donald Trump’s constant pout

It’s time to bury the hatchet and work together like we can

This is the only way we will be able to put an end to Putin’s plan

The Olympic games are now officially done

Our Canadian heroes left with twenty six medals being won

Just three short of last games record haul

I would like to take this time to congratulate them all

I made a commitment to keep track of them all the way

I updated by watching all the highlights each and every day

This way I saw every event that there was a medal being awarded

It was nice to see all of these competitors being rewarded

Our men’s hockey team just didn’t seem to get on track

Our amazing women’s team brought the gold medal back

The closing ceremonies were performed just yesterday

Soon all of our participants will be home to stay

This weekend also saw the “Freedom Convoy” disband

There were reports of some incidents getting a little out of hand

One hundred and ninety one people were charged when it was done

Rumours are out that there may be another one

As far as inquiries go,  there will be one for sure

It’s been over three weeks since the residents have felt secure

The “Emergencies Act” was implemented so police could clear the way

When we get to the bottom of things everyone will have their say

Meanwhile in world news, Russia is still parked on the Ukraine border

France and the United States are negotiating to keep peace in order

Biden claims that Russia is getting ready to invade

Some others say that for Putin, it’s just a game being played

Queen Elizabeth II has caught the virus at the ripe old age of ninety five

She has had all of her shots and she should survive

Reports are that her symptoms are mild and she is doing fine

She is going to stay indoors and follow the medical guidelines

Now for some good news that is coming from the States

Seems that Donald Trump’s empire hasn’t been doing all that great

Because he was fudging all the numbers, his accounting firm has left him high and dry

“Mazars” announced that their statements cannot be relied upon because they are full of lies

They have handed over five hundred and twenty five thousand documents for the prosecution to view

Donald, Donald Junior and Ivanka have been issued subpoenas and we all know what they will do

Like Eric, they will all plead the fifth so they won’t  incriminate one another

Isn’t that special, father, daughter, son, sister and brother

This could be the tipping point and this phony empire could finally fall

The establishments that loaned money to Trump will soon be giving him a call

All his assets will be frozen which will certainly cause a lot of tension

All he will be able to retain will be his acting and presidential pension

This is just a sampling of what has happened in this past week

In everyone of these examples, it’s justice that we all seek

It would be nice to see Trump broke when it comes time to pay

Also to see all his old cronies get convicted along the way

Ontario’s “Freedom Convoy” is now into weekend number three

They haven’t accomplished all that much as far as I can see

Calling it a “peaceful” protest doesn’t seem all that right

When you have participants honking their horns all day and night

They gridlocked Parliament Hill and been there since January twenty eighth

Still trying to convince this nation that they are doing it in good faith

It has been a spectacle right from the start

No one has a clue when they will finally depart

This convoy travelled from the east and west determined to put on a show

As they meandered to their destination they were heralded everywhere that they would go

Windsor, Ottawa and Toronto in Ontario have been put to the test

Quebec City in the east as well as Edmonton in the west

The regulations for vaccines is what they are choosing to reject

In this whole process, they are losing all of their respect

These people have been hailed as heroes for the efforts they have put through

Now all of this is being tarnished by these chosen few

This freedom convoy in no way represents all the truckers that are on the road

Chances are, most of these participants will never haul another load

When this protest breaks up, they are going to need a lot of luck

I’m sure the names will be exposed of the owners of every single truck

With vaccine mandates being lifted, this group is claiming that they won

Forgetting that it has been over two weeks since their fiasco first begun

They have dragged it out so long that it was close to the pre set time frame

If it gets them out of town, let’s pretend they won this game

Fellow truckers around the world are beginning to follow their lead

Who knows if any of them will actually succeed?

Our Government has been more than lenient handling this rebel crowd

Things that were done here, in other Countries, would never be allowed

They blocked the “Ambassador Bridge” that leads to the United States

Which means it’s gone international for companies that handle freight

“Biden” and “Trudeau” are talking and things are getting heated

Things are going to change in the way this special group is treated

A seven o’clock curfew Saturday, in Ontario was set for these truckers to depart

If there is going to be any violence, this could be when it will start

Hundreds of millions of dollars are being lost in the “Auto Industry” everyday

Their top priority will be getting all these “semis” out of the way

Police forces from all over Ontario are being recruited to bring this to an end

This group better find themselves flexible because they will have to bend

They have to become aware of the line that they have crossed

I am hoping that this can all be resolved without any lives being lost