July 1st fireworks glitter in the ground
gold, cobalt, diamonds, copper
and because native entitlement only
goes skin deep
wherever our hard firms
stretch out their fists from Toronto and Vancouver
to scratch a dirty surface
they find even more virginal Canada
far away and waiting for the taking.
Congratulations, Maple Nation!
We’ve grown so adept at moving earth
that Guatemala, the DRC and Sierra Leone
holler and flash on Canada Day:
the mines have made so much ours.
Look at the faces that stand on guard
for me and my investments,
true, payroll love
commanding foreign sons and daughters
to rise from their home soil
and with glowing hearts
make way for holes.
O Canada, don’t forget
there’s a peace
that was never fully buried
we don’t have to go that far back
to dig it up.
God keep our land
glorifying God,
loving others
as we have loved ourselves.