Two high profile murder trials ended last week in the United States

While juries were deliberating, the whole nation was left sitting in wait

Both the verdicts that were rendered were different as night and day

One got away with murder, the others will have to pay

Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges for killing two and injuring a third

It was a case of self defense which to me seems totally absurd

The whole situation was racially motivated even though white people were shot

It was at “Black Lives Matter” protest that he took a rifle that he illegally got

He injured the first man then killed two others who had joined in his pursuit

He thought he was in danger and these two other men he would also shoot

Both these men were unarmed when they issued the chase

The jury found that his life was in danger and they proved their case

Now he is being hailed as a  hero and is the darling of “Fox News”

If this continues to gain traction, the heightened violence might prove hard to diffuse

Reports are saying that Rittenhouse visited Trump at his Florida retreat

You know the guy who has never admitted his defeat

This could be a powder keg and just fans the flames some more

This is just the type of stuff that appeals to the Republican core

So the courts in Wisconsin have let this murderer go free

As far at three men in Georgia, that’s not the way it would be

This case, a father, his son and their neighbour were all doing fine

That was until a video of Ahmaud Arbery’s shooting was leaked online

They were Greg McMichael who is the father and Travis McMichael, his son

Their neighbour William Bryan who decided to record while they were on this run

They said that Ahmaud was a burglar and chased him down their street

The fact they chose to film this event would result in their defeat

If this video was never taken, this case would have never gone to trial

The fact that they all ended up being convicted just makes me smile

This lynch mob chased him down in a pickup with a “Confederate” flag on their plate

This just adds to the proof that all these three men deserved this fate

The fact that this racism is so blatant is unreal

Of course the lawyers for these men are going to try an appeal

The Prosecutors did not argue that racism motivated this crime

The Federal authorities have however, so they may serve more time

Video evidence usually helps you if you are involved in a case

Most people have a cell phone that they take from place to place

If you have a record of it, you have something that can be shown

This is the safest weapon that you may ever own

It didn’t help in one case, most of us will have to agree

But if the others didn’t film their adventure, then all of them would be free

I went to brush my teeth last Friday evening, and what did I see?

One of my eyes was coated in red where the white is supposed to be

It certainly shocked me when I looked at myself in the mirror

My online diagnosis said things aren’t as bad as they would appear

They called it a subconjunctival hemorrhage, a bleeding of the eye

All I can say is that it scared the hell out of this guy

I was satisfied with what I read and headed to bed for the night

I got up in the morning and started to feel uptight

My left eye looked redder than the night before

Decided to go to emergency just to be sure

I didn’t want to do it because it was a cab I would have to call

Just to get to the hospital totaled twenty five bucks in all

I had to sit in the back behind the plexiglas barricade

I am still lamenting about the fare that I paid

The hospital issued me a new mask to replace the one I wore

I had to switch them or they wouldn’t let me through the door

Once I checked into emergency they gave me a wristband to wear

Then sent me to the waiting area where I spent four hours in my chair

While I was sitting there, everyone was busy gawking on their phones

A roomful of people and still everyone was alone

Seeing I couldn’t concentrate, I put my phone to airplane mode

There was free wifi available which didn’t require a code

I found myself watching the television for most of the time I was there

I couldn’t really hear it well, so I just sat there to stare

They had it on HGTV and I recognized the show

I had to know if they were going to love it or list it before I had to go

I was thinking of taking the bus home when I was done

I also thought of walking although it would be quite a run

I was too stubborn to pay for another cab because I am too cheap and thrifty

No way I was doing that because the amount would total fifty

Finally my named was called out and then spent another hour waiting to be seen

It turned out the information I read was exactly what it had been

The actual time with the doctor turned out to be very brief

It was nice to get out of there and have that sense of relief

I got out of the parking lot ended up walking home all the way

It turned out the distance was shorter than the course I take everyday

There’s a band on Brookes Street that has been together for a while

Decided to play their last performance and go out in style

Together they have been experiencing many highs and lows

But every night they had their members out to maintain the show

The number of musicians varied from night to night

No matter how many participated they got through it alright

They played every evening and never found the time to rehearse

The more members playing, the sound of it just got worse

Instruments used were improvised by each attendee

The whole objective was to be as loud as you could be

Most of us banged a pot or chose to ring a bell

Judging by the noise level, we all did very well

At one time our whole block came out to play

Then the numbers just slowly dwindled away

Some nights the neighbourhood children would join us in the fun

Essentially it came down to six that would continue on this run

I can’t say for sure when was our first day

Seems to me this tradition started last year in the month of May

Needless to say it has continued going and it was never done

Most nights we had full attendance, some nights it was down to one

It was decided that this Thursday past would be our last engagement

Attendance would be a must for what would be our final arrangement

So there was Meredith, Margaret, Jack and myself, four of us alone

Rick was gone hunting and Denise would join us on the phone

This is the group that has kept this tribute going strong

It was a nice touch to have three grandchildren play along

Denise was out of town and didn’t want to make us have to wait

Now when you count the kids,  our finale totaled eight

Eighteen months or five hundred and twenty nine days we were out each and every night

To honour all these selfless front line workers that choose to continue in this fight

These people are also heroes in every single way

That is why we chose to stop on this Remembrance Day

They may not be in a war, but they have to battle through it all

They like soldiers, have chosen to answer the call

They have casualties and deaths like on a battlefield

This virus is an enemy that refuses to yield

Just because we aren’t banging the pots doesn’t mean we have forgotten you

We are still admiring every one for all the things you do

You should also be honoured because you have chosen to defend

We are hoping that this conflict will soon come to an end

The “Chicago Blackhawks” have been a major topic in the latest news

There are so many people out there willing to share their point of view

Problems for this team are being experienced on and off the ice

So many people who are not involved, offering some advice

When this assault occurred this team was  in their playoff run

The “Blackhawks”  hadn’t  won the Stanley Cup since nineteen sixty one

It would take over fourty nine years for this franchise to relive their dream

Unfortunately it wouldn’t be all that joyous for a member affiliated with this team

In May two thousand and ten, Kyle Beach was finally in a position that aspiring hockey players desired

He was called up from the minors to participate in the playoffs if required

Just twenty years old and he would be a “Black Ace”

Meaning if someone was injured, he was there to take their place

The following are allegations I read on a news report

This May seventh Kyle filed a lawsuit and is taking the “Blackhawks” to court

This incident occurred over eleven years ago

This is what I researched just to let you know

Brad Aldrich was a video coach that this NHL team had hired

Later on that year he resigned but he was never fired

He invited this rookie to his apartment for drinks and a meal

That would be the location of this terrible ordeal

He forced oral sex on Kyle and told him to pretend to like it all

Then told him if he didn’t the “Blackhawks” would never give him another call

Beach managed to escape and informed the club about the situation he went through

It would be another three weeks before they decided what they would do

The administration knew about it but decided to postpone this case

They couldn’t be bothered, they were in a playoff race

Aldrich informed  the team the sex was consensual but resigned after two thousand and ten

Unfortunately it wouldn’t be much longer until he struck again

He was now affiliated with a high school team and accosted a sixteen year old

This might have never happened if the Kyle Beach story had been told

Aldrich pleaded guilty to sexual conduct with a teenager and was sentenced to nine months in jail

The behaviour of this NHL team proved to be an epic fail

The “Hawks” ignored their mistake and even let Aldrich have a day with the Stanley Cup

We learned he brought it to a high school, now that they exposed this cover up

The executives that were in charge are now officially done

Those ones that were involved during the first playoff run

Stan Bowman resigned and was the last employee who really had to know

Quenneville met with Bettman and Joel decided it was time to go

Only Kevin Cheveldayoff is the last man to hold a post

He’s General Manager of the “Jets” and the league has allowed him to coast

The way this team has handled the situation really is a shame

They even chose to have the Stanley Cup be engraved with Brad Aldrich’s name

They have had this name removed from it since this news came to light

It is going to take a lot more than this to make this hardship right

I admire Kyle Beach for coming forward and I hope he has his day

There is no way he should have been brushed off in this way

He has given others a voice that is now loud and clear

For those with similar experiences and are living in fear

I hope he is properly compensated for the nightmare he went through

Which in turns inspires others who have been through an experience like this too

We are now at that time of year when temperatures begin to fall

Being a northerner, that fact shouldn’t bother me at all

I took it as a challenge, I took it as a dare

Refusing to give in because there’s a chill in the air

 I could build up my resistance and take it all in stride

Even decided not to engage the furnace once I went inside

It didn’t feel like such a stretch when I’d been out all day

I was feeling snug in a t-shirt everything was okay

Not feeling cold at all when walking around the place

Still feeling very snug in my little space

The first day there was no problem, the temperature was sixty eight

Slept comfortably through the night and everything was going great

The conditions did change and it started to cool a little more

Still I was comfortable walking barefoot on the floor

I had no problem through the day and at night hopped into my bed

With no gas being used, I was now a few bucks ahead

Day three I awoke from my slumber and was feeling fine

I jumped when my feet touched the floor, it plummeted to fifty nine

It was now time to put socks and slippers on my feet

Accessorized with a hoodie to make my ensemble complete

The next two days the weather was close to freezing

Could feel my body cooling, but not once was I sneezing

Decided to crawl down to the basement when I wanted to watch tv

The reason for doing this was because it was warmer by a few degrees

It was finally getting to me and I was starting to feel a chill

It was the fourth day which was Friday, when I finally lost some will

I turned on the thermostat and set it to sixty five

I wasn’t in a panic, I knew I would survive

I knew this would make a difference and warm me up real quick

Went back to sit on the couch after I heard the little click

The furnace kicked in right away but soon the noise was gone

Tried to get it to go again but it wouldn’t turn back on

Called the “Reliance” dealer because we pay for their service plan

Figured they would show up just as soon as they can

Perhaps this company should consider changing their name

It was not until Thursday when they finally came

Surveyed my situation and announced that I needed a new part

Once the package is shipped to me, then the repair could start

The item was delivered to me around noon the next day

The contact told me that between one and five they would be on their way

I sat there patiently anticipating that they would be here soon

That’s when my phone rang at around three thirty in the afternoon

The man on the other end apologized and said they couldn’t make it after all

They referred to their schedule to book another call

Once again they squeezed me in between the hours of one to five

But the day would be Wednesday when they would arrive

So tack on five more days which makes it over two weeks without heat

Sunday night the the front door opened a lot as the kids were out to trick or treat

Now it’s Monday morning  and I have a record low

The thermostat reads fifty seven, how much lower can it go?

The next few days coming are going to be colder than the rest

Trying to stay warm inside will really be a test

I never did anticipate to go this long without heat

Over fourty eight more hours before it will be complete

True it has been difficult, but I like to think I won

I won’t be declared a champion until this repair is finally done

All this week the weather will be chilly and they are calling for some frost

Will my problem be resolved? I’ve got my fingers crossed!

The topic that I have chosen may not be of interest to some

They perhaps will just ignore it and think that it’s dumb

The research involved reading many lists

There were so many examples, it was hard to resist

These so called “top ten” are seldom the same

In some circumstances, we may be to blame

I am just going to mention a few that appear more than the rest

Some you may not find bothersome, while other you’ll detest

Pet peeves is the subject that will be my muse

There is a few of them that I will randomly choose

People not washing their hands before they leave a washroom

Is more relatable to most because of the pandemic I would assume

People saying “no offense” when you are engaging in a chat

Nine times out of ten will most likely end in a spat

Grooming yourself in a public place people share

Things like applying makeup, clipping nails or even brushing your hair

People doing speech to text seemed to irk quite a few

They want you to use your fingers like the rest of us do

Slow drivers in the passing lane was another complaint

The comments made showed little restraint

Here’s another no no that I never knew

Apparently passengers fiddling with the car radio is something that you shouldn’t do

Sharing your medical conditions in detail is crossing the line

So if someone asks how you are feeling, it’s better to say “fine”

When misplacing something “Where was the last place you were?”

Hell if you knew the answer, this incident would have never occurred

Whether you agree or disagree with any of these it is all fine

Now I want to bring up a couple of mine

The first one I’m sure all of us can understand

Is against all bakeries and I am making a stand

You can make fun of me if you must

When we get to the end of a bag why is there only one crust?

Loaves are being sliced in odd numbers, that’s what is being done

To make a sandwich you are forced to go out and purchase another one

That’s why toasters only come in twos and fours

It’s just a conspiracy that all of us have chosen to ignore

Last but not least is another numbers game that some of us play

Did everyone enjoy their breakfast today?

I eat a cereal that is nutritious but not very neat

The company is “Nabisco” and it’s their “Shredded Wheat”

Eating two biscuits is considered a complete meal

So you open the box to see what it reveals

They are packed in sealed containers that contain three

Just how more inconvenient could this possibly be?

So you take out the two and save the third for the next day

Wrap it up in the torn wrapper and pack it away

There are crumbs on the counter and more on the floor

Twenty four hours later you repeat the same procedure and spill even more

I came to a solution, proving I’m not a total dunce

I now put this trio in a cereal bowl and eat them all at once

No mess to clean just put the residue in the bin

The answer to a problem, a total win

As for those establishments with their yeast and dough

If you can solve this bakery scam, please let me know!

The NHL season is now starting their second week

Winning their first game is what my team sorely seeks

Just managing one point after playing game three

Isn’t going the way that I thought it would be

They have been terrible right out of the gate

Somehow I was expecting a much better fate

Opponents have scored early and often too

This is just a slump that they have to get through

Two of  these games, they were behind on the first shot

They are now just one point out of last spot

I guess you could say that I am in a state of shock

Still I haven’t given up on my beloved “Blackhawks”

Right now things are  rough, but they can only get better

Hell, they haven’t played a game at the United Center

There is still another seventy nine games left to play

The playoffs won’t be here until we reach the month of May

With so many changes, this team needs time to gel

It may take some time for things to start to go well

Let’s put things into perspective, they are only three points out of first place

If they manage to stay this close, they will have a playoff space

Their power play has been potent, they have had success in each game

Let’s face it, this team just isn’t the same                  

Fleury was pulled early in his second start

Let’s not panic and think things are falling apart

They have to be ready at the drop of the puck

This season they have had nothing but bad luck

Seventeen seconds into the second game and fifteen seconds the next night

First shots from their rivals turned on the red light

So far they haven’t been able to play with a lead

They certainly have to repair this if they hope to succeed

This dismal start should motivate them to stick to the game plan

Especially since their next four games are in front of their home fans

Playing in Chicago into next week

Hopefully will bring an end to this losing streak

It’s too early to panic, I don’t intend to go down that hole

It will take some time for each player to learn their role

Things aren’t as dire as it would appear

This team will be in the thick of things by the end of the year

Another long weekend and here we are on the final day

It rained most of the weekend and still the sky is grey

Of course it was Thanksgiving and I hope you got some rest

Even though the weather here was definitely not the best

Maybe you were able to get out before the bouts of rain

Saturday afternoon on, it was pouring on and off again

Now this is the last long weekend of the year

We are aware what is the next celebration to appear

I hope you enjoyed the meal and were fortunate enough to mingle

It won’t be too much longer before we start to hear some Christmas jingles

Halloween this year will occur on a Sunday night

This gives the kids a couple of days to get their costume right

I thought we would still be watching Blue Jays baseball with their wild card chance

Unfortunately they ended up one game out and were unable to advance

So the baseball season is winding down and the world series is to come

Just because this is ending there is no reason to feel so glum

The NFL is in its infancy, not even close to their peak

The CFL has a couple of months before we get to Grey Cup week

Perhaps basketball is preference when it comes to sports

October nineteenth is the opening night when they hit the courts

Baseball and basketball, there is only one team Canada has in this race

We all wait in anticipation for hockey to take its place

Almost every region of our nation has a team that they can boast

This truly is a game that is savoured by everyone coast to coast

Rivalries have been established that are now decades in the making

Listening to some of these fans stories can truly be heartbreaking

Followers hope this will be the year their team finally gets it right

The long road to the Stanley Cup debuts tomorrow night

There is finally a full schedule and there will be people in arenas to watch the game

The past two seasons of watching, somehow just didn’t feel the same

Here’s hoping we get to complete this schedule worry free

This is as close to normal as it could be

No glitches whatsoever, wouldn’t that be nice?

Packed stadiums for each franchise  when they hit the ice

I wish this for these teams all across our land

That they are successful and it all goes as planned

We are all familiar with the phrase “He shoots, he scores”

Hockey is the sport that us Canadians are thankful for

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was observed this Thursday that has just passed

The indigenous people said they wanted to celebrate and not be downcast

They want this country to be aware of the strife that they have gone through

So the leader of our country, what does he decide to do?

He delivered his remarks on Parliament Hill on the eve of this day

Then he and his family flew to Tofino to have a holiday

Accusations of callousness is the refrain heard across our land

This is just another example of how we don’t understand

The first time we have taken an initiative to finally become aware

The leader of Canada shows how little he must care

I guess after getting an election win, he needed to unwind

The timing of this getaway has now put him in a bind

How do you defend yourself after committing such a heartless act?

This just heightened up the awareness that this observance was meant to attract

This is just another example of being insensitive in this case

Our complicity in this maltreatment is something we all have to face

Students who attended these residential schools did their talking

The remembrances of their own experiences were totally shocking

To the generations that went to these establishments being abused was just a routine

The stories they related to us were totally obscene

How could they let these institutions be allowed to operate for all of that time?

The fact that some still remain is a total crime

They murdered these children and haven’t paid any cost

We will never know how many lives have been lost

We can’t forget the women who are still missing and no one knows where they are

The efforts to locate them, don’t seem to get very far

It seems authorities don’t seem to be concerned about this fact

Thousands of them have disappeared, not many cases have been cracked

Then I watch the news of Gabby Petito who went missing in the States

She, like these indigenous women experienced a similar fate

The difference being that her whole country was alerted to this case

They had authorities looking in every single place

Why does she get this attention while these other women don’t make the news?

This is still yet another example of how we choose to abuse

So if we want to really make a difference and remedy our bigoted past

Right all the wrongs that our Canadian country has amassed

It’s time to listen up and get your head out of the sand

Take heed to what these indigenous people encounter and try to understand

This way we will truly realize how they have lived in fear

It takes a lot more effort than just wearing orange once a year  

I’m looking out my window and all I’m seeing is the rain

Looking at the currents being created as it pours down the drain

Autumn’s first week is something I soon won’t forget

Since its arrival, all it has been here is wet

We haven’t had a day where the sun has shone bright

The first three days, it poured morning, noon and night

The weekend is a total bust, been raining now a full week

Every day has been dismal, much needed sunshine we sorely seek

Monday’s forecast is for a bright day and the temperature to rise

If somehow it drizzles, it won’t come as a surprise

Just weeks ago we were spreading top soil at our neighbour’s place

The yard was as hard as granite in their front space

Pounding the ground was essential to loosen up the soil

We abandoned the job as we were beginning to broil

A few days later he was able to finally spread out the seed

There was a time he was wondering if he was going to succeed

Now this same area looks like it’s been through a flood

The terrain now consists as an area of grass and mud

Needless to say he was successful in getting his lawn to grow

Now it’s coming in so lush, he soon may have to mow

Usually there is a payback for the summer we had

Personally speaking, I don’t think it was all that bad

There were some stretches of hot days that we had to struggle through

More than enough tornado warnings were mixed in with them too

Hail pounding on our windows is something we seldom see

I guess with climate change, that’s how things have come to be

As I’ve been saying, this fall weather hasn’t been all that nice

I’ve only been able to walk my dog maybe once or twice

I am taking a gamble every time I walk out the door

With all the clouds, one can’t be sure when it will pour

Luckily I beat the odds and completed my circuit still nice and dry

It could still be awhile before I see a nice sunlit sky

With such a lousy start, things can only get better

The early morning strolls now require me to wear a sweater

This is the best time of the year for walking down your street

You still remain comfortable because there isn’t all that heat

I am able to stay in bed longer because the sun rise is later on

Many mornings before seven I would be out and gone

Now if I departed at that same time, it would still be dark

I want to see where I’m going when I jaunt through the park

I’ll take advantage of this season when the weather is clear

Knowing in the back of my mind, winter is a worse time to fear