I am sitting on the front porch on the first nice weekend this spring

Sitting relaxing and taking in everything

This day turned out warm and the air is fresh and clean

Our front yard is thriving and has a nice shade of green

This however is not the only colour that stands out

There are splashes of yellow interweaved all about

Most of our neighbours have all agreed

We have decided to protect this vital weed

Three residences that are joined together in a row

Have decided to let all of our dandelions grow

It’s for the benefit of the pollinators that come our way

We’ve jumped on the bandwagon of the “no mow May”

This gives a chance for these insects to do their thing

It benefits all of them during the early  spring

But then you have the diehards who don’t think this is right

They prefer to annihilate each root and keep this crop out of sight

You see them on their turf on their hands and knees

Pulling each and every one of them like they are some kind of disease

To me this is just a useless chore

Been there, done that and don’t do it no more

We did at one time accomplish this feat

Even had people tell us our yard was the nicest on the street

We had new sod installed which grew in thick and lush

Running around in barefoot was like walking on carpet plush

I was devoted to maintaining this year after year

By the third summer I had enough and called it a career

I have seen my property go from pristine now to bad

But when I was into it, I gave it everything I had

I am now happy just to cut it when it grows

I may extend this “no mow” policy into June, who really knows?

I prefer to sit on my front porch and watch others obsess over their lawn

Scanning their tiny estates and making sure every single weed is gone

In my neighbourhood the grass is definitely greener across the street

I have decided to throw in the towel and refuse to compete

I admit their yards are wonderful with all the work that they do

Living on our front porch spring and summer we have a scenic view

Now as far as their vista, I have to wonder what they have to say

Looking at the array of green and yellow each and every day

To show our devotion we erected a sign and here’s what it reads

“Experimental dandelion farm, do not disturb the weeds”

We will protect these yellow flowers until they go to seed

After that time passes I’m not sure how I’ll proceed

Maybe I’ll be inspired by the sights I’ve taken in

Perhaps pride in my property will once again begin

Or maybe I’ll sit and relax and enjoy the birds sing

And not do a single thing until maybe next spring

Will we ever get this Covid-19 under control?

Or will it continue to take its toll?

The age group for the vaccine is changing from day to day

How many more lives will have to pay?

Right now, India is suffering most of all

As well as Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Nepal

This southeast Asia region has reported almost three million cases

Twenty five thousand people have died in two days in these places

This infection is proceeding in leaps and bounds

As much as five times the rate because of the gathering of large crowds

Issuing protocols for their New Year’s event

This catastrophe was something they could not prevent

People are dying at a rate we have never seen before

Trying to keep this under wraps is a major chore

Nations around the world will have to assist them in this task

So many lives could have been saved if they only worn a mask

There are so many poor countries, it’s now a global crusade

They need to be tended to and this goal in no way should be swayed

This battle will be continuous and may never cease

Controlled in one area and in another it continues to increase

With all these bodies moving from place to place

It’s impossible to control the entire human race

This I see as the problem and this virus is here to stay

How can we curtail this when all these factors are in play?

Then you have people believing it’s all a hoax

How can we manage to convince all these folks?

Concentrating on just one area seems to be all for naught

The virus you try to eliminate will show up in another spot

They will name it for the region because it’s now a more contagious strain

Like the pattern we have been seeing time and time again

We will be taking covid shots like we do with the flu

And still have these morons continue to believe it’s not true

As long as these ones in denial are refusing to be dosed

This infection will continue on this endless supply of hosts

The only way I see the future, if I have to be blunt

That the vaccine we are injecting is able to stay out in front

Because if there’s a variance that occurs that we can’t overpass

That’s when this scourge will end up finally kicking our ass

Here’s hoping my prophecy is proven wrong

Here’s hoping that we unite and all get along

Make a plan and eventually get it right

Maybe then I will see a future that is bright

Just get it into your head what they said from the start

Everyone wear your mask and stay six feet apart

We have to get this, it’s back to square one

If we don’t , this pandemic will never be done

An event I won’t soon forget happened this past Saturday

The results I experienced are still haunting me today

An occurrence that most people fear and dread

The type that you wish happened to someone else instead

It initiated a little after eleven, before high noon

The first wish was for it to all end soon

We all wondered aloud and it caused us great fright

The question was would we come out of this alright?

We proceeded to gather things together the best that we could

We were in this united, something we both understood

We had a game plan that we practiced so many times before

We knew what laid ahead of us could prove to be quite a chore

I headed down the stairs to survey our basement space

Then proceeded to search every room in our entire place

Everything looked good but we had no time to  spare

We wouldn’t be content until we scoured everywhere

We managed to stay calm, we tried not to freak out

Even while both of us were running all about

We checked our provisions to see what we had in store

Just in the off chance that we would have to set out for some more

We were prepared to hunker down and we didn’t know the length

We decided not to over exert and try best to retain our strength

New batteries were inserted in each and every flashlight

We were now well prepared for the oncoming night

We both were experiencing a chill because the temperature started to drop

This fiasco was persisting, when will it all stop?

We were determined that we wouldn’t bow to this setback

There was a large section of our city that was experiencing this attack

We never felt so helpless and lost in our way

Our new way of life, was it here  to stay?

I looked at my phone and it was down to thirty percent

I turned it off to conserve power during this tragic event

I never opened the fridge or the freezers so they would remain cold

The longer this lasts, who knows what perils could unfold?

No internet access, no way to get onto the net

How much more bleaker could this situation get?

We had to conserve our cell phone data and stick with our plan

Can we outrun this upheaval? I certainly hope we can!

Just then the dead silence was broken by the furnace kicking in the heat

We both congratulated each other for accomplishing this feat

We were now safe because the hydro had restored our power

This catastrophe we will never forget lasted almost a whole hour

Derek Chauvin who murdered George Floyd was found guilty of the crime

It took only ten hours for the jury to deliberate, now he’ll do the time

Second degree murder, third degree murder and second degree manslaughter, convicted on all three

We have to wait until June sixteenth to see how long a sentence there will be

He tried to get out on bail but that request was refused

He was led off in handcuffs like the victim he abused

A prison outside Minneapolis is where he must sit in wait

Until the day he is sentenced and has finally received his fate

Experts say he has no prior convictions so his sentence could be light

The man is nowhere close to innocent and should be treated right

Just looking at the video you can see it in his eyes

Chauvin shows no compassion as George Floyd slowly dies

It’s like he is possessed or on some kind of high

Just peruse the video and it’s a fact you can’t deny

His knee upon George Floyd’s neck wasn’t right

The man was in no way even putting up a fight

Eight minutes and fourty six seconds of torture was applied

Because he has no prior convictions are they going to let this slide?

Take into consideration, the people begging him to stop

Chauvin ignoring all of them because he is a cop

Three other policemen there, ignoring this crowd as well

Not even trying to stop Chauvin as far as I can tell

These accomplices are charged and will have their day in court

Will their fellow lawmen show them any kind of support?

The fact is that their police chief didn’t back his men in blue

He testified that they were in the wrong with what they chose to do

This could be the initial step of weeding the bad cops from the rest

The more body cams of their antics, the more policemen they’ll arrest

Even through all of this, more unarmed black men and women are being lost

With Chauvin being convicted, has that line been finally crossed?

The credo that patrolmen stick together through all thick and thin

Will this truly be the time for law and order to begin?

There are unarmed black men killed almost every day

The time for police reform should be here to stay

If precincts are able to eliminate the bad cops from the pack

Maybe then we can stop the unwarranted attacks

Only then can we begin to stop this racial divide

Then maybe our citizens will look towards our police with pride

So much is riding on this George Floyd murder case

The first major stepping stone of putting things in place

Make Chauvin’s punishment fit the crime and send him on his way

Finally prove to all officers that there is a price to pay

There are so many more cases that are left to be tried

So many innocent black people that needlessly have died

Lawmen must be held accountable and stay on a right course

If they are found disobeying them, then kick them off the force

This task is arduous and will only be proven complete

When the black members of our community feel safe just walking down the street

I remember I had one that was only five inches and it was a black and white

Some thought it wasn’t all that big, but I thought it was alright

Then I got one that was thirteen inches and that did the job for me

Playing it in my bedroom was the place for it to be

Then there were ones that went to twenty four and twenty six inches I recall

Back then they were definitely the biggest of them all

Everyone who had them used them every day

Most often found in your living room in full display

In Canada, nineteen fifty two, CBC was the first network on the air

Nineteen fifty eight, it went coast to coast for all the nation to share

That was the only network we could all see

Until the year of nineteen sixty with the launch of CTV

Now through all these years, technology has advanced in leaps and bounds

The televisions graduated to colour and now had stereo sound

Then came cable companies which offered even more

Now there were more channels to view and it was no longer either, or

To some families this was a blessing, others it was a curse

Some loved the fact there was variety, while others thought it worse

Now you had several channels and the whole family had to agree

On what program they all wanted to watch because they only had one TV

This was the norm for most houses and the only thing they could do

There were others more fortunate and in their homes possessed two

So every night it was a ritual, you knew the plan by heart

You knew the chosen channel and the time for it to start

The viewing season would start in autumn and by summer it would be done

If by chance you missed a performance you’d have to catch a rerun

Then came the eighties and the VCR made the scene

To avid television watchers it was the greatest gadget ever seen

They could watch a show while recording another station

It became a “must have” item and it caused a great sensation

Now they weren’t required to have to sit in front of the set to watch the show

They could watch it later and have their freedom to come and go

They could now insert a tape and program it to record

Prices for this item dropped and soon most families could afford

This became the norm for most everyone back then

They kept their videos on tape in order to watch them over again

Major film companies releasing their latest movies was a now a major event

People could run to “Blockbuster” to get their favourite movie to rent

These VHS tapes were phased out, the DVD took their place

They performed the same function, but took up less shelf space

Fast forward to present time and the wonders never cease

You can now stream movies online seconds after their release

So many all over the world available, how many? I have no clue

Internet is the technology that the majority use to view

Televisions come in any size from huge to small

They now have the technology to beam them on a wall

Pull a screen down to cast it on and then put on the show

You will feel you are at a theatre sitting in the front row

The picture is crystal clear and it’s shown in 8K

You can view them anytime whether night or day

There are so many options where video now can be shown

Communication is so innovative you can watch it on your phone

You can now store your films on a storage device no bigger than your thumb

It makes one have to wonder what other inventions are there to come?

Whether the smallest tablets or the tvs with the biggest mounts

It’s not the size of your unit, it’s the performance that counts

Those of you who got the vaccine or are slated to get it soon

Just a note to let you know, I got my inoculation Friday afternoon

I was able to book it two days before the scheduled date

The job they did at Memorial Gardens was truly first rate

All facets were well managed and the procedure was well run

I was there for only twenty five minutes and everything was done

Included was the ten minutes early they requested before the shot

Then the fifteen minutes afterward sitting in a designated spot

Not one second was wasted and there was no delay

In and out in record time and then safely sent on your way

When you book your appointment, your follow up is scheduled too

Now when I head back in July, I know exactly what to do

Dr. Jim Chirico and his crew have been given a bad rap

The way they ran this clinic we should all tip our cap

They have been in a no win situation since it first began

They are required to listen to the experts and do the best they can

No matter what the verdict, he has to make the call

It is his responsibility and he knows he can’t please us all

The situation as we know it can change from day to day

The online trolls who think they’re experts always have their say

They cannot begin to fathom what it takes to keep things in line

They continue to belittle him and say he should resign

Complain that there’s never enough vaccine and how quickly we run out

Don’t they realize that exhausting our supply is exactly what it’s all about?

Some people get so emotional that they have fits of rage

Even though they are not eligible because of their age

There are at least three levels of government that this has to trickle through

That’s a hell of a lot of bureaucracy before it comes down to me and you

The major cities and urban areas all have the upper hand

The more you get with the program, the more you’ll understand

A tiny city in Northern Ontario is not a big priority in their plan

That’s why we must accept this and do the best we can

We do get our share, but it certainly won’t be pronto

That’s  because the emphasis is on big cities like Toronto

Those of you who are at home and sitting in wait

There are two pharmacies in town to try and make a date

Patience is a virtue that is also in short supply

It could still be a while before we kiss Covid-19 goodbye

Those of you griping now, that eventually get through the Gardens door

Once you finally see how well it’s run, you’ll appreciate your Health Unit more

I would like to wish everyone a “Happy Easter” right from the start

Yet another holiday we had to celebrate while we were still apart

I am certain there are people who were together for this event

The same ones who complain the most and have chosen not to prevent

They also believe it’s still a hoax while refusing to wear a mask

Choose to rebel this protocol, which is such a simple task

They continue to buck the system and continue to do wrong

And keep on bitching the most because it has lasted for so long

It makes one wonder how they can be so oblivious to the lives that have been lost

No matter what restrictions are implemented, that line is always crossed

Go on with their lives the best way that they can

They continue to socialize since this pandemic first began

Make it a political issue and proceed to protest for their cause

Make it an infringement of their rights and disregard the laws

Because of all their shenanigans we are now in the second year

Enough time has been wasted that new strains now appear

The younger demographic is affected, it’s now not just the old

Maybe it’s time to take a second look and put your demonstrations on hold

The more your group gets together the bigger the chance you catch a strain

Of course you will continue to ignore this, you’ve already heard this refrain

The cases are on an upward trend and the hospitals are doing the best they can

Having to move patients to other areas is being considered in their plan

We have watched all the news and listened to every word they spoke

Yet these people continue to be in denial and persist it’s all a joke

I still can’t figure out how they have chosen to think this way

We are obeying the rules and suffering each and every day

We are in no way happier than the ones who have chosen to rebel

All of our own existence has been blown to hell

We want to get things back to normal just as much as you

Refuse if you must but this statement is so true

We also are struggling to cope and we feel the rage

But for some reason we aren’t on the same page

You continue on your campaign and fight the fight

In a few more months we will find out who’s wrong or right

Our side will get inoculated that will save us from a tragic fate

You can continue on your high horse and just choose to wait

This way I will be that much closer to finally get out and about

You proceed with your rebellion and continue to drag it out

Things still won’t be normal in this lagging game

Maybe then you’ll finally figure out, you’re the ones to blame

The NHL season is now more than halfway done

January the thirteenth was the date when it first begun

Fifty six games scheduled for each team to play

Final encounter to be played on the eighth day of May

There have been postponements of matches here and there

They will do their best to reschedule them all, just to be fair

July ninth is the latest day this campaign could end

Tampa Bay holds the title and has to defend

If they triumph, I find it weird, for this very reason

They would be champions back to back for two shortened seasons

The league at the start had to make a decision

In order to reduce traveling they made new divisions

When things were finally set and all put in order

The eight Canadian teams were united north of the border

This is now our Country’s best chance like it or not

Thanks to this setup we now have a one in four shot

If we prove competitive and with a little luck

We’ll have our first team in the finals since the Vancouver Canucks

Ten years ago that was their claim to fame

Unfortunately they lost four to nothing to the Bruins in the seventh game

Montreal Canadiens are the last team to hear the victorious cheers

In case you are keeping count, it’s now been a total of twenty eight years

It is now our best opportunity to finally reclaim

This isn’t just another sport, it’s our national game

There is a Canadian team playing almost every night

The franchises are competitive and the rivalry is tight

Toronto is in first with Winnipeg and Edmonton tied for second place

Montreal is now in fourth but don’t count them out of the race

Any team can win on any given night

To come out on top of this group will take quite a fight

Whoever succeeds will represent us well

There really is no favorite from what I can tell

Your guess is good as mine on who it will be

Who will prevail? We all have to wait and see

It will be curious when we get to the final four

These teams haven’t played each other before

Just that fact alone holds so much intrigue

That it will be the first time these competitors will meet in this league

This being a condensed season, I feel some regret

But the playoffs coming up could be the best yet

Still we have over twenty games left in the regular season

You have to win as much as you can for that very reason

In all professional sports, winning the Stanley Cup is the biggest chore

Once you complete the season, you have to win sixteen more

As an athlete it is a arduous test

That only proves you are the best of the best                     

The ones who prevail are truly the cream of the crop

Keep your fingers crossed that a team from Canada ends up on top

It’s Saturday morning, time to rise and shine

Crawled out of bed and grabbed that dog of mine

After over an hour of trying to slumber more

The pooch and I headed out the front door

I have been out earlier, but it still wasn’t that late

It would be another thirty five minutes before it reached the hour of eight

Still this time of the day there was just a little light

By the time we finished our adventure the sun was shining bright

We stuck to our route most of the way

Extended it further, seeing it was such a nice day

It was the first day of spring and it was in the air

The sun now so bright, I was getting a glare

The excited weatherman’s forecast had finally come true

No clouds to be seen and the sky a bright blue

Conditions like these, will get everyone out

Come afternoon, people will be in shorts, I have no doubt

The temperature is going to increase and only get better

I’ll be venturing out later, wearing only a sweater

Three days of this in a row!  What will we do?

This warm weather will extend into Monday too

We’ve been stuck in our houses always on guard

It will be a welcome adventure just to explore the backyard

Our region is now yellow and no longer gray

We certainly aren’t in the clear in any way

We have reported eight more cases so we may be demoted back to the rear

We’ve gone through all of these colours at least once through this year

No matter what level we attain, it’s never that good

We still can’t perform all the tasks that we once could

It would be nice to talk face to face to someone you know

Not having to pace off six feet from an unknown wherever you go

Not having to have your head on a swivel avoiding everyone you see

Just strolling down the street foot loose and fancy free

It could be years from now before we feel we aren’t in danger

When walking down the street approached by a friend or a stranger

I’m tired of having to exist in life while remaining apart

That’s why I intend to get off my ass and do something smart

When I’m allowed, I’ll be there for my shot

No matter what vaccine, I’ll take what they’ve got

Whether it’s just the one dose or the one taken twice

Keep listening to the experts and taking their advice

It’s the most unselfish thing that each of us can do

It benefits everyone as well as you

It’s the first step and hopefully it will be the last

To finally make this Covid-19 virus a thing of the past

The sooner we adopt this policy, the more will survive

Life will come closer to normal and small businesses will thrive

Most of these small businesses have been in a constant state of alarm

You as well as these enterprises need a shot in the arm

Merry Christmas to all, although it seems much too late

Yesterday was the day that we got to celebrate

Due to the lockdown we’ve had to keep in our own space

It was now okay for the four of us to gather in one place

Not one of us hugged or even shook hands

If you heed all the protocols you should understand

 All of us had to confess that we’ve been nowhere for weeks

All listened to the experts when this virus reached its highest peak

All through this period it was getting harder to survive

Then we got the okay to meet in groups that numbered no more than five

This was an opportunity that we could not ignore

This group we had amassed only totaled four

So we decided that Sunday March fourteenth would be the day

We could finally put the wheels in motion after an eleven week delay

The meal planning would be arranged with relative ease

The ingredients for the original dinner was in the deep freeze

The presents were still unopened under our Christmas tree

We’ve been keeping it lit since November for everyone to see

We promised to keep it a vigil until we got to share this event

 The time had to be now since we got our official consent

We knew we had to take advantage of this privilege as best we can

After some consultation my wife and I both came up with a plan

The status of Covid-19 cannot be predicted

Who knows, next week it could become more restricted

Both my daughter and boyfriend’s birthday were just weeks ahead

We decided we would have to do something different instead

So we ran to the Dairy Queen and bought them an ice cream cake

The only thing in the freezer that didn’t require us to bake

Cramming all these events together might seem like a stupid stunt

That’s why we cancelled the ham and the Easter egg hunt

After all of the events, it was now getting late

It finally came to the time where we would end our date

It was great to get together and share some time with each other

It had been so long since we had been with one another

All the time they were here, the dog never left their side

They even had to take him with them when they ventured outside

It was so nice to have family visit in here once again

The pandemic for all of us has been quite a strain

We all piled in the car and dropped them off at their door

I’m hoping this is just the start of so many more

It was a great day, I think we all can agree

This poem is now finished, time to take down the tree