Welcome to Poems From The City. This page will feature poems from the streets of Toronto and also from City Hall. Hope you like them. The picture above is from the Adam and Lyn's World Images website. It is a shot of Toronto from the CN Tower.
Drug Testing; Dumb Idea
To what depths will the Tories sink?
They all think we do drugs and drink.
The Tories think we can't write or read,
"Literacy tests are what we need".
Drink and do drugs,now that's very funny,
Where do they think we get the money?
Of our cheques, most goes for rent,
Buy food and the money's spent.
We're all taught not to generalize,
But, we're all the same in the Tories' eyes.
Writing and reading, most will pass,
The Government will be seen as an ass.
If we refuse the test, we lose our cheque,
A punishment that will most homes wreck.
If no money, no rent to pay,
You're on the street the very next day.
This drug testing is very dumb,
To be sure, the Tories' end will come.
I think it's the Tories we should test,
They've shown to be dumber than all the rest.
Stop The Cuts
Today in City Hall, the Council is meeting,
They decided to give the City Budget a beating.
Libraries, pools and programs for kids,
As well as programs for those on the skids.
They're even going to cut the kids' school lunch,
There will be no more food for them to munch.
Children can't learn if they don't eat,
Their energy falls right through their feet.
Why make people pay user fees?
This is a total mystery to me.
Do we all take a hit? No, not all,
The cops don't take a hit at all.
What the hell is up with that?
Their budget is already way too fat.
It's going to cost more to ride the bus,
It's already too expensive for many of us.
The Council is saying, "close the pool",
We will have no way to keep cool.
On those hot summer nights we seem to get,
When all we want to do is get wet.
These and other cuts will take place,
If we don't get into the City's face.
We've got to tell them to save our city,
Or else our lives will not pretty.
Our youth need rec programs all the time,
Without them, they could turn to crime.
This will cost more money in the long run,
Our job for our youth will not be done.
Recycling, the environment will be chopped,
All these cuts must be stopped.
We don't need a big sporting event,
We need a better living committment.
So, let's stop these cuts, join our fight,
Let's urge Council to do what's right.
Safe Park
It began as a safe park,
Where the homeless could safely rest after dark.
A place where the homeless would be safe from the cops,
A place where the harrassment and the beatings would stop.
It was set in Allen Gardens, a beautiful place,
And to the homeless, a popular space.
Aug. 7/99 dawned sunny and bright,
As OCAP began to set up for the night.
Blue tarps, food tables and tents of every size,
Decked out in bright colours to please the eyes.
Blankets, sleeping bags and even a hammock,
As we dined on a meal of venison, fish and bannock.
The park opened with music and song,
Everyone hoped the stay would be long.
Mel said, "I'll make those campers go away,"
The campers said, "Hell no, we're going to stay."
They all said, "There are no beds,
We have no place to lay our heads."
They vowed to stay until the fall,
When they planned to go to Ottawa.
Two and a half days passed without trouble,
But, on Aug. 10/99, the cops burst their bubble.
Five divisions invaded the park,
With Parks and Rec. while it was still dark.
Walking under the tarps, waking people up,
Ordering everyone to pack up.
Then the police got violent, it really got rough,
Lastman said he'd had enough.
Wrestling people to the ground, 4 people were hurt,
Grabbing them by pants and shirt.
27 people were arrested, they were taken away,
Destined for Bail Court the very same day.
One woman almost lost her baby, a part of herself,
It seems human decency was put on the shelf.
People's possessions were taken to the Lakeshore,
There was no sign of the campers anymore.
I saw the story on TV and went to the camp,
The sprinklers were on, making the ground damp.
The police caused much suffering and unnecessary pain,
We can't allow this to happen again.
The camp is gone, but this is not over,
It is something from which the homeless will never recover.
Lastman and Harris, this is not the end,
We wiil camp in a park again.
If you want a revolution, that's what you'll get,
This is something we'll never forget.
Be assured that we will bring you down,
we will bring human decency back to this town.
Inquest
I have been going to the Homeless Inquest,
It has been going on for a month without a rest.
Into the deaths of three homeless men,
Homeless who died on our streets, once again.
I haven't been able to go very much,
Using the updates and friends to keep in touch.
Our case has really been held down,
With no restrictions being put on the Crown.
The Coroner has stopped our lawyer from trying,
To state the reason for these men dying.
"Housing, welfare and cuts", said he,
"Have no basis in relevancy".
Eleven of our witnesses have all been denied,
"They cannot tell us why these men died".
Even though they can tell us what it's like,
To sleep on the street, night after night.
We want the truth to get out to the city,
that homelessness is not pretty.
The Coroner has already made up his mind,
Reinforcing the thought in society's mind.
That these men's deaths were their own fault,
Why they died in the snow and the ice and the salt.
"We offered them help, but it was turned away,
Our help was rejected on that cold, windy day.
There were beds available, but they wouldn't go,
They wanted to sleep outside in the cold."
We all know that's not true,
We know the truth, me and you.
If you ask me, the system's to blame,
Harris is another culprit you can name.
Today, the lawyers make their summations,
Then, the jury will make their recommendations.
Despite the Coroner, we will get the truth out,
We will tell what homelessness is all about.
The homeless need housing and more respect,
So this humiliating tag they can reject.
We have got to get rid of our "dear Uncle" Mike,
He is a man nobody likes.
Don't let society cover up the facts,
We must not let this fight go lax.
Ode To Summer
On a warm, summer night in June,
Couples walk by the light of the moon.
The haze hangs in the air, suspended,
Because, finally, the winter has ended.
The heat is relentless, the the sun won't stop,
When we go for a walk, we fear we might drop.
But we wouldn't trade it, we love the summer,
Because the winter is such a bummer.
Scarves and heavy coats of down,
Many layers that weigh us down.
But in the summer, we are free,
We wear only shorts and a "T".
We lay outside in the hot, blazing sun,
And look for other ways to have fun.
Swimming, tanning, and BBQ's on the beach,
Enjoying all the fresh fruit we can reach.
Cruising with the radio blaring,
All of us, friendship and love, we are sharing.
The city comes alive this time of year,
We are all so glad that summer is here.
So, let us, to the summer, give praise,
And get out and enjoy these long, hot days.
This poem was written in honour of the one-year anniversary of the South Parkdale Residents' Alliance on November 4/2003.
One Year Anniversary
The SPRA is a year old today,
We have come a long way.
We fight the Front Street Extension,
Which will take Parkdale to a scary new dimension.
It will bring traffic, noise and pollution,
Bike lanes and transit are the solution.
We formed back in November 2002,
We felt it was something we had to do.
The City was not informing our neighbours,
So began the SPRA's labours.
We went to every door on our street,
And with our neighbours, began to meet.
We printed up flyers out of our own pocket,
We had to do something to try and stop it.
Soon other people joined our fight,
We knew the Extension wasn't right.
We met with the City at the CNE,
We had to try to make them see.
That the Front Street Extension was a mistake,
That could bring Parkdale much heartache.
In the 1950's, the Gardiner went in,
To many Parkdalians' chagrin.
Many For Sale signs began to sprout,
As many Parkdalians began to move out.
We did not want this nightmare to repeat,
With the extension of Front Street.
So to save our streets, our home,
We invited the politicians to come.
We spread the word and that's not all,
We managed to get the Extension stalled.
Soon a new Council will be elected,
We hope some Progressives will be selected.
And the Front Street Extension will be killed,
All it will take is political will.
So join our fight, tell your friends,
Let's put the Front Street Extension at an end.
The Night of Scary Things
T’is the night of scary things,
When through the graveyard, a howl rings.
Zombies rise from the dead,
To fill the villagers’ night with dread.
It is Hallowe’en, All Hallows Eve,
When, in ghosts, you must believe.
For, if not, you will not survive,
This night when the dead come alive.
The haunted house is full of creaks and screams,
Nightmares replace your peaceful dreams.
Do not go out in the night alone,
Or you may never return home.
This is the night when we fear the dark,
When your paranoia will leave its mark.
Black cats prowl this starless night,
They are sure to give you an awful fright.
Witches cackle over their bubbly brew,
Discussing the spell, they will cast on you.
So, cover your head and draw your blinds,
And hope that you, they will not find.
Raise The Rates
The welfare rates are being raised,
Is the Liberal Government to be praised?
Not at all, we should lament,
The increase is only 3%.
“We have a deficit”, they cry,
“And so that is why.
The increase is so small”,
It’s like getting no money at all.
All these nine years, we have been crying,
“The only way to stop people from dying.
Is to increase the cheques that people get”,
But they haven’t done it yet.
We may not get it until next year,
Not until March gets here.
Because the computer that Harris bought,
Is with difficulties fraught.
It has never worked the way it should,
Because the bloody thing’s no good!
They’re counting our increase on their fingers and toes,
Will they get it right? Who knows?
I hear we’re getting money in October and November,
Those people in Ottawa, I hope they remember.
So, what can we do to get people more money?
What do we do to turn their skies from cloudy to sunny?
Get rid of the Liberals, can’t you see?
Elect a Government that cares about you and me.
We lost a warrior on the second of May,
For the world, that was truly a very sad day.
That’s when we lost Bob Hunter,
There will never be another.
A Rainbow Warrior, he fought for the Earth,
More than any of us, he knew its worth.
He fought for the whales, the seals, and the sea,
He knew, empty of life, it must not be.
He tried to teach us all about the environment,
He really knew what losing it meant.
He loved the earth, the flowers and the trees,
A brighter future for all of us he could see.
He tried to teach us, but not all of us listened,
We didn’t realize what we were missing.
The corporations hated him; he hurt their bottom line,
They tried to tell us that everything was fine.
But Bob knew the truth about Global Warming,
And tried to send us all a warning.
That pollution and nuclear testing was killing the air,
And that one day, it might not be there.
He co-founded Greenpeace in 1971,
He hoped that he would not be the only one.
To fight to save the earth and everything on it,
And not have to wear a gas mask under our bonnets.
Bob read the papers every morning on TV,
He made the headlines come alive for you and me.
Yes, we’ve lost a warrior, but not the chance,
To protect the earth and maybe enhance.
The future for us and for our kids,
So that maybe this earth is not on the skids.
Let’s remember Bob Hunter by fighting pollution,
Don’t you want to be part of the solution?
Bob Hunter is gone, but his fight still continues,
Let’s keep up that fight with every sinew.
Bob, we will miss you and we will not drop the ball,
Let’s make the earth better for all.
Last week was Remembrance Day,
To remember a debt we can never repay.
It was a war that we can never forget,
The stories have not all been told yet.
Many boys went, but only few returned,
In overseas graves, many more are interned.
A lot of families were torn apart by war,
They will live forever with that horror.
We all know someone who was touched by this strife,
They will have to live with the memories for the rest of their life.
To conquer a cruel dictator, they answered the call,
Knowing they could be the next one to fall.
Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen, and other camps of death,
There, millions of Jews breathed their last breath.
Hitler was determined to wipe out that race,
And put one of his choosing in its place.
Canada was right in there with Britain and France,
Fighting the enemy whenever they got the chance.
The veterans are dying; we’re losing that generation,
The young must continue their veneration.
The veterans’ stories must not die out,
From the roof tops, we must shout.
And repeat the vow, “Never Again”,
Must we allow war to reign.
So put down the bombs and the guns,
Towards peace, let us run.
“You can bomb the world to pieces, but you cannot bomb the world into peace.”
Written on the bathroom wall of the women’s washroom at Sneaky Dee’s at College and Bathurst Sts.
Christmas Eve is next week, then Christmas Day,
This is truly my very favourite holiday.
When the man in red and white visits my home,
And gives me all I asked for and then some.
He brings gifts for my family and friends,
His generosity seemingly never ends.
Mistletoe, holly and a tree in the corner,
I will be as happy as Little Jack Horner.
Eggnog and a Yule log fire is all I ask for,
Along with a wreath to hang on my door.
Some turkey, close friends, and some carols to sing,
That’s all I need to make my Christmas ring.
This is a time when we all come together,
And we make light of the cold and the weather.
Family is very important at this time of year,
We make sure that close ones are near.
We welcome each other in the warm Christmas Spirit,
But, alas, it is only a temporary Spirit.
Why can’t this feeling last year-round?
Why is it only in December that it comes around?
We treat each other like family every December,
Yet, the rest of the year, we can’t seem to remember.
That this wonderful feeling needs to flow,
To every corner of the earth, it needs to go.
So, as we party and reach out to friends,
Let’s make sure the love never ends.
Keep reaching out long after the holidays are over,
Spread the Christmas Spirit the whole world over.
Happy New Year, Auld Lang Syne!
We all happily sang it one more time.
We love to celebrate New Year’s Eve,
It’s the one time when we really believe.
That this year, we’re going to do it right,
That our future truly does look bright.
We make resolutions, and vow to change,
Our priorities, we promise, we will rearrange.
Quit smoking; lose weight, to listen more,
To more frequently darken our family’s door.
We fully intend to follow through,
But a few months later, what do we do?
We break our resolutions, lose our resolve,
We feel the problem will never be solved.
Making resolutions sometimes feels like a waste of time,
But here is something to keep in mind.
Improving yourself is never a waste,
Doing this can go a long ways.
Towards creating a better you,
Isn’t that what we all want to do?
So, make those resolutions and those plans,
To make yourself a better woman and man.
Follow through on those promises, keep those vows,
Let’s start doing that, right now.
Here I sit in front of the TV and my eyes are tearing,
I can't believe what I think I'm hearing.
Katrina has blown New Orleans out to sea,
It's showing just how cruel humans can be.
People were ordered to leave their pets behind,
Was there no compassion these "rescuers" could find?
They were left, their lives torn apart,
They were left to die of a broken heart.
On rooftop islands they were left,
Of food and love, totally bereft.
Their world had been shattered,
Torn away from everything that mattered.
They had no clean water, no warm rug,
No one around to give them a hug.
The dogs would swim out to the "rescuers'" boats,
On the toxic water they would float.
But the "rescuers" avoided them, they went around them,
I'm sure soon afterward some of them drownded.
Not just dogs, but other pets as well,
They all went through the same kind of hell.
Sure, some people helped, they did what they could,
But their paltry effort was no good.
They were supposed to rescue ALL the family members,
There's one thing they need to remember.
Animals are family members too,
Just the same as me or you.
I wonder how the "rescuers" slept that night,
After seeing that God-awful sight.
Of dogs stranded on rooftops and trees,
After hearing their loud, mournful pleas.
I bet their animals weren't left to die,
To look up from their rooftops and wonder why.
Bush's animals wouldn't be treated like that,
They would save his dog and cat.
In the same situation, could you leave your pet behind?
Could you just leave them to cry and pine?
My husband and I promised our cats,
That we would never do that.
We wouldn't leave them behind like yesterday's news,
There is only one course of action we would choose.
We would fight to take them or to stay,
We would never just walk away.
They would have to shoot us all to get us out,
Something they would willingly do, no doubt.
In a natural disaster, animals are always second class,
They are always given a pass.
People count more than Fluffy or Spot,
Compassion for animals is always forgot.
We've had hurricanes before, it could happen here,
If it does, don't forget the creatures most dear.
Fight to keep your pets; please take them with you,
That would be the kindest thing you could do.
Don't consign them to the same fate,
Think about it now, before it's too late.
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