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The Space Between the Stars – Richard LeDue – Norway House, Manitoba
Soldier Poet – Ron Gillis – North Sydney, Nova Scotia
open window – Meg Baird – Calgary, Alberta
Lullaby 1973 – Conroy Dockal – Roswell, Georgia, USA
The Space Between Stars
Poem by Richard LeDue
Dead stars whisper the same old lies,
and in a supermarket
someone left a box
of ice cream outside the cooler
(no one paid enough to notice).
Maybe a dietary choice
or the loudest complaint
they could muster in a world
where “cost of living”
has nothing to do
with waking up.
Dreams melting among morning
sunshine. Fluorescent lights
not much better,
while listening to a co-worker
talk about de-weeding their lawn
again, as we pretend
the space between stars
isn’t that cold.
Soldier Poet
Poem by Ron Gillis
The soldier, now a poet, his rifle a pen.
Pours his thoughts on paper, shared by fellow man.
Thoughts of D Day Landings, comrades side by side.
Settling The Issue, Supreme Sacrifice.
This soldier, now a poet, his rifle a pen,
words he composes help ease wartime pain,
pain inflicted, three years on the line
witnessing The Carnage, forever on his mind.
The soldier, now a poet, his rifle a pen,
returned to a country thankful to be home again.
Never forgetting the taste of battlefield fear,
laid down his pen, and shed a soldier’s tear.
Author’s note: This poem is in memory of Don Garnier from North Sydney, NS, who served overseas during the Second World War with the Cape Breton Highlanders and who returned a Soldier’s Poet.
open window
Poem by Meg Baird
cool breeze tingle my skin
the house is warm
I let you in
the cars go by like fish in the night
whooshing towards home
this way and that way
every moment of every day
all purpose leads to home
Lullaby 1973
Lyrics by Conroy Dockal
Ancestors repeat
Descendants stand beat
Lies and bellies get sleep
Cut deep, harvest reap
(chorus)
Future is no cherry
They’re busting on my feet
right off that tree
Lead berry, grim berry
Sack it up and carry
At house of worth
Perfume is blood
Their scent a curse
Brut bottle, bout and flood
Irish Spring no binary
Manful yes they dig it too
Soaking in it, a fairy
Don’t soften blows on you
Future is no cherry
They’re busting on my feet
right off that tree
Lead berry, grim berry
Sack it up and carry
No one says a prayer for me
Came out unripe from a sea
[yeah, right off that tree]
On chariot everlasting
Zestfully not passing
Juicy juicy drupe, why
There’s no sleep
Chose love or life
Skin bittersweet
Future is no cherry
They’re cussing on my feet
right off that tree
Lead berry, grim berry
Sack it up and carry
Open Heart Forgery 