Mary MacEwan's
Memories of Johnny MacEwan.
My Daddy was a
logger up in Prince George
everyone called them rednecks then
redneck logger
to his four children
he used to say:
there are mean times ahead
do your homework
we would pout,
complain, whine
in vain he made us study
forced us to get an education
he didn't live to
see his way of life
denied
denigrated
by people who have mistaken the enemy
blaming the workers
instead of the money-junkies
with their dividend tax credits and offshore investments
who control it all from behind the scenes
like marionettes
I miss those old
days
suppertime, Saturday night, pay-day
hockey night in Canada
kitchen windows all steamed up from
supper cooking on the stove
days when I used to think everything would be
fine
Daddy home from
work
bearded, beaming at his family
snapping his red suspenders
chewing Copenhagen snoose
tired, triumphant
he would put his pay-cheque on the table and
say to my mother
for you my
darlin'
everything I have
all for you.
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