The Alberta Worker
Let freedom ring, liberty sing, Democracy to nations bring. Your child’s soul and your black gold From jawbreaker to Aleppo. We’ll take your coat so you can vote, Replace your home with rubber boat. Sending our pawns at crack of dawn Quarter million forever gone. When we’re done, well shoot our guns Buy plastic flow’rs […]
Where will you go? I do not know. Where rivers flow or breezes blow Where flies the crow or sunsets glow Search high and low, look to and fro My garden hoe, My front yard mow Drink cups of joe, and sweet cocoa. Eat lots of pho, and risotto, And sweet gateaux, and cookie dough, Pistachios, and sloppy […]
Extinguished fire, now cold and dark, that blazed once bright and sure, That warmed my self, my heart, my soul and made my spirit pure, I watched you die as rain poured down and choked your fighting flames. I frantically worked day and night to save you; ’twas in vain. I tried to feed you […]
Ruby red, no, scarlet red, the blood stains on their hands. Innocence delayed ten years, now teach them how to dance Orange like the glowing coals of fire dying out; Bellows, worn and tired now, have fin’lly shut their spout. Yellow sun has dimmed its light, its service drawn to close Tried so hard to shine so bright, […]
Where have you gone, I ask again; my memories now lost. They stole you, hid you, while I slept—a ransom without cost. Your photos burned, your words destroyed, your voice I can’t replay. The distance grows between us now, increasing with each day. I want to see and talk with you; they tell me that I can’t. I […]
The hand within or up above directs each action fake: Each word, each nod, each praise of joy, whate’er the master makes. Bow the head, fold the arms, expound, and testify, Say yes, say no, arm to the square, and never question why. Shushed and limp, no life inside, fifteen million strong. A sleight of hand awakens them to […]
Just keep digging, digging, digging. Dirt still falling, falling, falling. Top keeps rising, rising, rising. Voice still calling, calling, calling. Hole keeps growing, growing, growing. Arms still aching, aching, aching. Sweat keeps dripping, dripping, dripping. Legs still shaking, shaking, shaking. Eyes keep fighting, fighting, fighting. Lungs still gasping, gasping, gasping. Heart keep trying, trying, trying. Voice still rasping, rasping, […]
Weak and might, dim and bright. Peace and fight, day and night. Loose and tight, dark and light. Walk and flight, black and white. Black and white are simple, see? Wrong for you, and right for me. Black and white’s an easy choice, Helps to justify my voice. Black and white are options two: Yours is […]
Climbed the mountain one more time, a desert found instead. Drawing deep from in the well, its water long since dead. Wand’ring to and running fro, for water and for bread, Starving, thirsty, seeking with a mouth all cracked and bled. Compass pointing to the north, and south, and east, and west. Rhombus—once a square—appears, askew and […]
Comfort in the shadows dark, but longing for the sun. Try—again—to find some rest, yet itching for a run. Wallowing in soothing mud, but desperate for a bath. Labouring for footsteps pure while on the dusty path. Scrubbing hard these crimson clothes to make them snowy white, Yet in the brightness of the day, impatient for pitch […]