I wanted to be light hearted and share a laugh or two

With the events that happened this past week it’s the last thing I want to do

Tragedy that affects dear friends of mine has reared its ugly head

We are now left to mourn the loss of their dear child instead

I cannot begin to fathom what they must be going through

I am at a loss on how to proceed or even what to do

I know their families have surrounded them to help along the way

I’ll just stumble through this poem trying to find the right words to say

The loss of a child is something that no parent should have to endure

No matter what anyone says, I don’t think time is the magic cure        

As we age we can confront death and try to take it all in stride

Nothing can prepare you when it’s your own child that has died

This is a hurt that is unique to those who have to go through this hell

We are left to try to console them in hopes that they will be well

With its many twists and turns it can take a terrible toll

This will rock the parents right to their very soul

This has happened to other friends of ours who have lost a daughter or a son

Though these events happened years ago, the grieving is still not done

Some parents choose to blame themselves and question the choices they made along the way

Thinking that if they would have done things different their child would still be here today

Others choose to bury themselves in work in an effort to quell the pain

I hope it does ease their heart and it’s not all done in vain

It hurt my wife and I to see our friends suffer through this ordeal

This would not compare to the hardship that they must feel

The mother greeted each mourner who entered through the door

With all the friends and family there wasn’t room for more

She broke down so many times as she went through all this pain

In time I hope she is able to heal from all this terrible strain

During the service the next day the elder sibling shared stories of the sister who had passed

Friends also shared memories and recanted them to the crowd that had amassed

We said our goodbyes to the family though they invited us to stay

My wife and I thought they should have some time alone and we proceeded on our way

It might be a long while before they can begin to cope

We send them our best wishes and offer them some hope

Give them time to heal and when they feel they’re ready we will find some time to share

Knowing that is the circumstances were reversed , I know that they would be there

I’m sitting on my front porch and sipping some tea

Counting my two dogs we all total three

The weather is pleasant and has remained great

Trying to finish the food that’s on my plate

I have nothing planned and to be honest I’m feeling lazy today

Comfortable sitting in my gravity chair, I have no reason to stray

It’s so nice and quiet, all I can hear are birds and their song

It’s still early in the morning so this serenity won’t last long

The city will soon arise and the volume will surely increase

I’ll remain in my place and enjoy what is left of this peace

This time of year is enjoyable to most

So I’ll just try to savor it while creating this post

My dog’s leg is in need of healing or I would be gone

It’s the first thing I do every morning, sometimes before dawn

Although he seems fine now, the vet says to give him some rest

So it may be some weeks before he’s up to the test

I’ll have a hard time trying to get back into my routine

This will be the longest lapse that we have both seen

In place of the walk, I decided to put more miles on the bike

If the weather permits, I can go on a long hike

There are paths all over the city for people to use

No matter what your destination, you can find one to choose

I’m the kind of person that needs an errand to run

This way I fulfill a purpose while still having some fun

I listen to music when pedaling through town

Wearing my helmet to cover my crown

The longer I sit here the less ambitious I become

Time to rise from my seat because my ass is starting to numb

Now that I have digested my first meal of the day

It’s time to get into gear and be on my way

It’s been a while since I last submitted my post

I thought I would  go through some events that were of interest to most

Sports would be the topic that I have decided to choose

In future entries I hope to get back to what is happening in the news

My last real entry was at Easter when the hockey playoffs were in their first round

Which would mean there would be three more to go before the champion would be crowned

At the time of that blog, the Leafs were leading the series three games to two

The Bruins with back to back wins finished off the white and blue

Boston continued on to the finals but lost it all in the seventh game

St. Louis Blues ended up the victors which is the first Stanley Cup that they were to claim

This team was at the beginning of the year, solely in last place

Imagine starting off at the end of the line and winning that race

Of course in Canada hockey is the sport that all of us truly embrace

This spring however it was relegated to second place

The Toronto Raptors of basketball captured the heart of this nation

All hockey fans jumped on the bandwagon and joined in on the celebration

The country was “Rapt” up in this team for all it was worth

Watching every play that they made and shouting “We Are The North”

They didn’t disappoint us and won the NBA championship officially on the tenth of June

Kawhi Leonard won the MVP and here’s hoping that he will resign soon

The parade they had was huge and was enjoyed despite all the disorder

The first time the championship was won by an organization north of the American border

The biggest spectacle in Toronto that anyone can recall

Remember “James Naismith” the inventor of this sport was Canadian after all

Now it is summer and we turn to baseball to sooth our winning thirst

Don’t look to the “Blue Jays” because they are now twenty three games out of first

The CFL has started and Hamilton is looking great

Is this team for real? I guess we will all have to wait

Once September comes we can catch some NFL thrills

Though sometimes they are hard to find when you cheer for the “Bills”

Before you know it, October will be here and the hockey season will start again

I’ll be back cheering for the “Hawks” with Keith, Toews and Kane

Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves and just enjoy the summer fun

Hopefully next spring my team will be participating in a long playoff run

It’s been over two months since I last published a poem

The last time was Easter Sunday to let all be known

I guess I approached this venture as a daily challenge just for me

Never realizing how much of a burden it would turn out to be

You see I began with great expectations and full of optimism from the start

Then as time proceeded, the enthusiasm just seemed to fall apart

It soon became a chore with a deadline I had to reach each and every day

Instead the writing of these poems just seemed to get in my way

I kept up the pace for a daily poem for nineteen days in a row

Since April twenty first I haven’t produced a work that was suitable to show

I thought I could remain topical and continue putting things to rhyme

It just seemed to get too consuming taking up most of my time

Once I decided to take the break, I have had a hard time trying to get back in my groove

I thought I could come up with something every day that everyone reading could approve

People suggested I go into my archives and take an old poem out to use

It just didn’t seem right to me, I wanted to keep up with the current news

Now that I have picked up the pen and decided to write again

I hope to write more of these poems instead of choosing to abstain

I will not be writing every day as was my previous goal

Perhaps it will be weekly, something more in my control

For the few followers that I have, I apologize for the long delay

Hopefully I can find something of interest to you along the way

So in another seven days if I do succeed

I will have another entry that will be enjoyable for you to read

We are all familiar with Christmas traditions over the years

When it comes to Easter, to me, it’s never been clear

At Christmas we use the Calendar for the twenty five days of advent

At Easter we give up something through the fourty days of lent

At Christmas with celebrate the birth of Christ in Bethlehem

At Easter we honour the death and the resurrection of him

These are important to those who are religious including me

Although I am not as faithful as I really should be

I am not questioning the spirituality and I’m not trying to be funny                                                     

In Christmas we have Santa Claus but how did we come up with the Easter Bunny?

So I decided to research some aspects of Easter and see what I find

Just wanted to know and in some form,  just clear my mind

Now the exact origins of the Easter Bunny is said to be unknown

So how did it prosper? How has it grown?

Some historians believe immigrants from Germany in the seventeen hundreds first lit the fuel

In their culture, bunnies were enthusiastic procreators in springtime which signified birth and renewal

Eggs are celebration that represent fertility and birth

As far as religion goes it really has no worth

Painting them however became a part of this holiday

This was to celebrate the rebirth of Christ in a way

As far as chocolate and hiding eggs there was really nothing out there

I researched some pages, but who started this idea, no one is aware

In nineteen ten there was a big power shortage in New York at the time

There was a surplus of ham they had to get rid of and you could pick them up for a dime

Thousands of people bought up all the stock which occurred during Easter that year

This was the first occasion of eating ham on this holiday would appear

In honour of this blackout and how ham became so popular during that crisis

We can still buy ham at these lower prices

The stuff I wrote about this pork product is all lies, it’s not even a rumour

I hope that God blessed you with a good sense of humour

Electricity companies didn’t originate until the late thirties let it be shown

If you want to know why we eat ham, you will have to check it out on your own

Happy Easter to everyone who acknowledges this day

I hope God blesses you all in his special way

They say, “What’s the matter with kids today?”

I seldom see them in the fresh air at play

It’s a rarity to see a child playing on a swing

In fact to see them outside doing anything

Do you remember when you were just a kid?

The games you played, the sports you did?

Playing all day in the light

Still having fun into the night

When playing tag was one of the games to play

And you had the energy to go all day

When was the last time you got to meet

A group of kids playing hockey on the street

In the winter, hockey was the neighborhood game

Different players, teams were never the same

You never had to worry about being one of the last picks

The problem was solved by just shuffling the sticks

It was nothing seeing twenty kids in all

Running around shooting that tennis ball

We were all playing for our favourite teams

A bunch of kids living out their dreams

I remember being Glenn Hall for quite a while

Then I was Tony O and played that butterfly style

The Montreal fans were “Rogie” when he was in

Then Ken Dryden, resting that stick under their chin

You played after school until it was dinner

Remember the phrase “next goal is the winner?”

After supper most of the nights

You’d rush to the playground to play  under the lights

If the rink was covered in snow, you wouldn’t care

You’d be handed a shovel, and do your fair share

Back then, there was no machinery to clear off the ice

It just went with the territory, you didn’t think twice

After the rink was clear and your work was all done

The ice was yours to enjoy and have fun

Before the lights went out, you were issued that warning

Then home to bed and you were back the next morning

You see we were outside treating everyone the same

Not stuck in the house playing that electronic game

Burning off all the energy we could possibly get

Not playing games in front of that television set

Kids can’t believe it when they hear us say

We only played indoors on Minor Hockey Day

After always playing outdoors, it was quite a treat

To play in the Gardens on that indoor sheet

We were always playing out in that cold

We never stayed inside with our lives put on hold

We played sports and games all the year through

It was something we enjoyed and all liked to do

Now when school is over, what do you see?

An empty yard where kids used to be

You hardly see a kid there from January to December

I just wonder, when today’s kids get older, what will they have to remember?

I see the Mueller report is out and the experts agree

William Barr’s version of the story is not what they see

Seems Trump would have obstructed justice if his staff had obeyed

By doing this, they protected him, that’s what they say

Then I look to his base who believe all his lies that he states

They still all admire him and say he’s just great

I don’t know how so many people can back up this guy?

I’m going to  take a look at his life and try to understand why

All his needs were attended to him I would suppose

Being born rich, that’s how it goes

I think with all this attention it would go to his head

Being catered to first thing in the morning till the time he went to bed

He became spoiled over the years from all the attention he got

The more time you devoted to him, the more that he sought

So has he grew up with everyone immersed in him, people now see

To Donald, it’s not all about you, it’s all about me

If he is not the center of attention when he attends an event

He certainly is not happy, his ego is bent

You would think over time this obsession would wane

It never ebbed it just seemed to gain

He’s had lots of relationships all of his life

If you were to count now, he’s on his third wife

When you see them out, they don’t seem to smile

You only see them together once in a while

The relationship with his youngest they keep out of the news

When he got elected to office it was the policy that they would choose

He has his group that he sees and they remain true

They know what to say and they know what to do

Now his staff has gone through lots of changes over the two years of his reign

But he still has his core that listen to him bitch and complain

He makes up stories and lies just to make him look best

You see it’s all about him, the hell with the rest

He’s trash talked John McCain, a hero in everyone’s eyes

Lindsey Graham didn’t address it, that came as a surprise

Now he and McCain’s daughter don’t talk to one another

These two were close and considered each other brother

Told Kellyanne Conway’s husband that he was a loser by tweet

Donald, as usual is never discreet

I think he is jealous because they have a marriage he wish he had

With all these chances at happiness he is still sad

Anthony Scaramucci was knocked out of the circle before he could begin

Now he is on the outside but now he wants to get back in

I read an article online the other day while I was home

The person that they interviewed wished to remain unknown

Apparently this guy had been on the Trump team for decades in his life

He was concerned about his children and his lovely wife

 To give the gist of this story, this is how it goes

Seems it ‘s the Donald and his minion that have to run the show

If they don’t like someone, they don’t do the straight attack

They pretend by talking to you, but then they stab you in the back

They’ll spread rumours about you that were never true

Then they just ignore you at their functions and never talk to you

Once you cross Donald, he will seldom forgive

Sometimes he’ll hold that grudge as long as you live

He sometimes let you back but you are not treated the same

You are still considered somewhat an outcast and still to blame

The article mentions instances over the years that he had to endure

But at the end of the article he stated his cure

It turned out he decided to just take a break from that social scene

The way they had been treated over the years had been obscene

He decided to concentrate on his family, that’s what he’d do

Enjoy life again and find new things to do

He couldn’t continue to try and please this group that he used to attend

Seems like there was no one he could talk to or on who he could depend

He said this wasn’t the way he had chosen to live

He was the one who knows how  to forgive

I finished the article and then put the kettle on for a brew

I thought that was a  story I can relate to

So that’s life behind the scenes of the Donald Trump team

Most of us our living out what seems to be a bad dream

Some seem to embrace it, Fox news fans most of all

Stick with him through thick and thin? It’s still your call

Before I am up in the morning, I see this face

Staring at me while invading my personal space

He has a long nose and a nice shiny coat

You’d wish he would ignore you, but you know he won’t

He waits patiently while I start to stir

Give a pat on his head and stroke his black fur

This is usually how my routine will begin

Try to avoid him? You’ll never win

Every move that I make just gets him more excited

Put the collar and leash on him, now he is delighted

It’s early morning just past daybreak

He’s already to go and I’m barely awake

He knows this route we travel everyday

Most of the time he’s the one who leads the way

When you are up this early, you hear every sound

There’s only the dog you can talk to, no one else is walking around

There are people in cars that will pass you by

They must look at me and wonder why

I’m not saying I’m ready right at the start

The energy seems to kick in once we depart

He is sniffing everything, at the start it is slow

While marking his territory wherever we go

This morning as usual this was the case

I gave his collar a tug to pick up the pace

He gets the message and then we proceed

Continue the walk at a comfortable speed

Yesterday I got through our walk without having to scoop which was nice

Today he’s made up for it, I had to perform this operation twice

With dexterity and a plastic bag I pick up every bit

Now listen to me, I’m talking shit

You do this because you are aware

While others with dogs just don’t seem to care

You see these piles wherever you walk

Out on the sidewalks or in the park

Sometimes you see the full plastic bag on the ground

You have to walk for blocks before a garbage can will be found

This is my personal beef in the city that I reside

I’ve just learned to accept it and take it in stride

We have lots of places to dispose them on our Main Street core

But take a look anywhere else, you won’t find many more

So if you can’t find any cans wherever you roam

Still pick up your mess and dispose of it at home

Gee I guess I had to get that out of my system for sure

I’m sorry, it’s something you shouldn’t have to endure

I am back to my walk now and we are almost done

I take him off the leash in the park and let him run

As I walk along the path, he darts back and forth

He is just giving it for all that he’s worth

His tongue is hanging out and he’s lost most of his power

Between the walk and the run it’s been over an hour

Now we head home at a leisurely stroll

He’s had enough exercise, I’ve reached my goal

Head up the front stairs and open the door

That’s when you find out that he is ready for more

He goes in his toy box and grabs a ball right away

He is not even near exhaustion, he still wants to play

He has so much energy that I wish I could borrow

I know I’m in for an encore when I wake up tomorrow

Got up this morning, the sun so bright and no clouds above

It was the kind of day that I have been dreaming of

Ran into my neighbour and we talked about the weather

I hardly recognized him, haven’t seen him since late November

I don’t want to jinx it, but I think our spring has arrived

After the winter we had, thank God we survived

The temperature was so cold most of the season

You only ventured out when you had a good reason

Burned most of the gas in your car idling to get it warm

While cleaning off the piles of snow from the latest storm

We only had two options that were there to be chosen

Either being buried in snow or feeling like you were frozen

We just never seemed to catch one lousy break

It was cold when you went to bed, even colder when you’d awake

We didn’t even get a hint of a thaw in any way

The first flake of snow was here to stay

It piled up so high that my young fruit trees I couldn’t see them at all

But you have to remember they are at least five feet tall

Using the snowblower constantly was all we could do

That’s just not using one, but using two

So we kept ahead by moving the white stuff and making a trail

Never realizing how much trouble this would entail

Over the course of the winter, the piles would continue to rise

That’s when we found out we were in for a surprise

You see in the winter, snow accumulation can carry some weight

Now it was time to shovel the roof, there was no debate

You have to save your structure, it only makes sense

Now with all this new snow, it now cleared our fence

Now this wouldn’t be a big deal to some people I bet

But it becomes a dilemma if you own a pet

We have two dogs that roam in the yard all the time

Now they had these mountains to climb

They could scale these hills and be free to roam

It would be no problem for them to leave their home

So my wife decided she would put a stop to this game

After all we caused the problem, we were to blame

She built a barricade for them that was impossible to hurdle

The final piece was a sandbox that was shaped like a turtle

We can open the door and let the dogs go out and play

We can feel safe because there is no way they can stray

It’s been a few weeks and the mountain is now a small hill

They can try to clear the fence but I don’t think they will

The days are getting warmer and soon grass will have to be cut

It will be nice to get out of this long winter rut

We got through this winter and it’s been quite a feat

So when summer arrives, please don’t complain about the heat               

Walking the dog this morning as I often do

I was listening to a tune that was familiar to both me and you

Heart of Gold was the refrain, once a popular score

I thought this song is old, can we call Neil, Young anymore?

This was a standard that came out when I was still a teen

Then I realized how stupid that last statement must have been

I looked up his bio and was shocked by what I had seen

The fact is we don’t have that many years in between

I don’t think I’m old, but then again I’m not really young

The reality of the situation? Well it kinda stung

I harkened back to the days when I was a youngster and bold

I used the word harkened? That only proves that I’m old!

Thought of the music that I listened to back then

Oh no I’m sorry I’m starting to reminisce once again

Now I am back in high school and if you are Canadian you understand

“April Wine” was, and still is my favourite band

I lived in a small city and not that many tours would venture to come

The highlight of their concerts was Jerry Mercer’s solo on the drums

One opening act for them, I liked right from the start

Perhaps you remember them, the act had the name “Heart”

I mean there were other great bands that visited but really there wasn’t much

Like “Trooper” and  “Stampeders”  and on occasion they would book “Rush”

It was just a cycle, the same bands toured and would reappear

Now that I look at the names, these bands have all had long careers

As I got older, I wanted to watch some legends, just to catch their show

So you would book a bus tour in town and off to Toronto you would go

I have been fortunate, I have seen some great acts performing live

They were worth all the expense  and enduring the long drive

I took my daughters to an Elton John concert as a special treat

Before it was over, they had both fallen asleep in their seat

I had tickets to see the “Rolling Stones” but in the end I backed out

It would have been a great concert to see without a doubt

I have never really been a big “Stones” fan per say

Although I will hum to all their classics when I hear them play

Now these are some old rockers that are still giving it their best

They were going to start a world tour but now Mick is in need of some rest

He is having heart surgery, the leader of this major attraction

Hopefully he will finally get some “satisfaction”

I know that pun was silly and I’ll admit it was pretty lame

But you are all probably laughing inside just the same

Those who are young, won’t begin to relate to this poem

As to all the others, there is something that should be known

Age is creeping up on us steadily day after day

It’s just a number that’s what we like to say

Feeling as young as I want to be is what I’ve chosen to discover

Maybe I will finally check out that concert when Mick does finally recover