Christmas 2015 (Errol Sharpe)/The New Year (Anna Yin)

Christmas – 2015
Errol Sharpe

 
As I sit down to write this poem

My mind it does begin to roam

It’s files I sit and seek to comb

There’s not so much up in the dome


I know that up there much is stowed

Can’t seem to find the password code

I guess to many roads I’ve hoed

Should I dump some of the load?


But as I think there’s lots to say

So many they have lost their way

Their feet so often made of clay

My friends for them we all must pray


Refugees they come from far

Have no money, have no car

Are they running from the czar?

As they seek to heal the scar


In Canada we dumped the man

But does the new one have a plan?

For as across the land I scan

I just see another clan


The left it sings a mournful song

Its weak, its weak, not very strong

And as it muddles all along

It’s them not us who tune the gong


So we must sing another tune

Not wait my dear for a blue moon

For if we do not do it soon

I think that all of us will swoon


So come now people, let’s be brave

Dig us all out from the cave

A new direction we must pave

For this old planet we must save


Now as we look to the New Year

A new road we can help to steer

My friends we all must tune our ear

To a new path, a path that’s clear.


               ~    ~    ~   ~    ~


The New Year


This is a New Year poem made by you and me.

On a 12 month-long canvas, with its significant marks,

the horse year has rolled over:

Floats of the season spread seeds for flowers and fruits;

the great green land breeds rich cultures and thriving lives.

Children sing and dance along their everyday routines;

parents work hard to provide pleasure and prosperity.


From rural area to urban center,

new buildings rise and broad roads extend.

Through community to community,

diversity spreads and dignity is shared.

We paint joy and praise peace.

We respect equity and agree to disagree.


From time to time,

somewhere in the world, the sky is falling;

we extend our hands and spirits for support.

Here and there,

our passages are clogged with chaos;

we work together to create great fortune.

New forces gather and signal changes.

Our city and country are leading with promise.


This is a New Year poem.

It has been made by you and me.

On a 365 daily calendar,

each of us makes a difference

so that we can share love and enjoy peace;

each of us kindly contributes

so that together we all can celebrate.


As 2016 arrives,

another New Year poem will form.

It will be made by us.

Here is our land; here is our opportunity.

Together we will guard this land,

together we will build our great fortune.


 

Anna Yin/ Mississauga’s Inaugural Poet Laureate


2015/12/06




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On Sat, Dec 26, 2015 at 10:46 AM, Chris Faiers <zenriver@sympatico.ca> wrote:
Thanks Errol ;  )-
Sentiments so many Canadians share. At least the dark clouds of the Harpy decade have been lifted, altho the electorate flocked like sheep from one traditional party to another. At least they flocked. I honestly thought Harper would enforce some national emergency law to stay in power, he's such a neo-fascist. Wait, that was Justin's dad who enacted The War Measures Act. arrgggggh!  (but a hopeful arrggh nonetheless).

Anna, would you pls send Errol's poem back inside an email so I can post it on Riffs & Rips?  - many thanks

best wishes to all for 2016!
Chris ... & Chase wrffffzzzzzzzzzz

p.s. look what you've started, Pearl   ;  )-




                                       .    .    .    .

THANKS ANNA!
That was quick ;  )-   your poem is very powerful & heartfelt - truly the Canadian vision for the future. I'm going to post it with Errol's poem - hope this is OK?
thanks again!
Chris

 
On 2015-12-26, at 10:51 AM, anna yin wrote:

Here it is and also my new poem to read at our city's Mayor Levee on Jan 3.

Celebration of People's Poetry founders at Parliament St. Library

When Canadian icon and original Canadian People’s Poet Milton Acorn was passed over for the Governor General’s Award for his 1969 collection I’ve Tasted My Blood, several of his peers, including Margaret Atwood, Pat Lane and Mordecai Richler, established the People’s Poetry Award, which they presented to Milton at a ceremony at Grossman’s Tavern in Toronto in 1970.

When I’ve Tasted My Blood was re-issued in 1978 by Steel Rail Publishing, Milton wrote corrections and edits for the new edition on a copy of the original book. Milton Acorn: The People’s Poet reproduces that copy of I’ve Tasted My Blood with Milton’s handwritten notes, offering readers an intimate look into the work of one of Canada’s most important poets. Also included are never-before-published photographs of Milton taken by Kent Nason, a studio recording of Milton reading many of his poems and a 1971 documentary film about Milton Acorn made by Kent Martin and Errol Sharpe.


Errol Sharpe is a publisher at Fernwood Publishing. He holds an ma in Atlantic Canada Studies from Saint Mary’s University and is co-author of In Pursuit of Justice: Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op and the Fair Trade Movement.




Continuing Chesterton is a collection of essays on People’s Poetry which goes well beyond the conventional territory of literary criticism to produce a fascinating set of perspectives on the nature of Canadian identity.  It offers a case study of the cultural crisis of the ‘gnostic’ culture of late modernity.


Terry Barker studied political theory and philosophy at McMaster and Oxford Universities, and taught Liberal Arts at Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Toronto.  He is the author of After Acorn:  Meditations on the Message of Canada’s People’s Poet (1999) and Beyond Bethune:  People’s Poetry and Milton Acorn’s Metaphor for the Canadian Fate (2006).



With poetry by Anna Yin, and music by Tom Smarda.



Pat Connors
4163916746
6472718610

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report on evening to Mary Hooper, Milton Acorn's sister and literary executor:
June 23/15
 
Hi Mary,
Unfortunately I was unable to attend the double launch featuring Milt last night in Toronto. I did have a long phone chat with Terry Barker this evening, who told me the event was a real success and a tribute to Milt & his poetry. A number of old CLM comrades showed up, including of course James Deahl, who will likely report to you personally on the evening, and Olino Cappaccione (spelling?). Of course Errol Sharpe and his son were the other presenters, with their film on Milt.

Terry said he'll write you in a couple of weeks when he returns from his trip to New York to care for his sick and elderly aunt. Terry was very positive about the evening, and he wanted you to know how pleased he was with the turnout at the Parliament Street Library. There is a real legacy of People's Poetry associated with the Parliament St. Library, as this is where Ted Plantos ran his Cabbagetown Poetry Readings for many years. When I founded the Main Street Library Poetry Series in the late 1970s/'80s, also in east end Toronto, it was as a continuation of Ted's legacy.

Oh, Terry said the film was highly enjoyable, and perhaps a more thorough, honest and down-to-earth tribute to Milt than the later NFB film. Damn! wish I could have been there to see it.

peace & poetry power!
Chris (Faiers) ... & Chase wrfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff!  (my shih-tzu on steroids)


p.s. Terry said things are still moving along (but slowly) with the Mosaic Press tribute book to Milt, ACORNucopia
p.p.s. Terry reported there's an article in the current issue of NOW magazine about the Waverley Hotel, with major mentions of Milt