Finished the night shift, caught the 29 bus,
then met the C-train for 8
Slowing past the palisade where the bow river
trickles through loose pebbles with the mouth
of the saddle dome opening in the distance
Past the main library where a platform
appears like a pointed anvil, splitting the
street in two through the city core
Dusty buildings slouch between sky scrapers
hinting of old west ruggedness, but there’s
only a fast food breakfast in the court of
a marble high rise
Before turning back to the crees and whites
standing outside the shelter
To a plain door that sweeps into a long
room, its slow smoke curls caught in the
early shaft of sunlight
Where men are huddled over small tables –
alone, in twos, in threes as I take a
chair and a beer while my waiter downs
a whisky neat
The federal budget is on tv and a customer
shouts “Another trudeau!” setting off remarks
of ottawa profits skimmed from alberta oil
When the story changes to the sale of the
montreal expos and their relocation to
the states
“Greedy foreigners!” now screams a patron
“Meddling in canadian affairs!” yells another
and “Trying to break up our country!” cries
someone else
Adding your comment: