We are not Barbarians beating
at your impregnable wall of red
paint us tory blue and union orange
call us foresters farmers rural bumpkins
or simple labourers if you wish but we too
are ordinary citizens who make our abode
outside your canyon concrete walls
of the GTA and its identical
row upon row of faceless suburbs
Our vast constituencies far flung
across the north are almost empty of voters
our MPPs few in number albeit strong of voice
yet little consideration is given them
when important matters of mone
y transportation and infrastructure
come before your liberal House
So treated too are those flat farmlands
across the breadbasket where once scattered
factories hummed now only whirls those
ugly whomping whomping disturbing
turbines harvesting the whirlwinds
below whose blades the crops still grow
are gathered to feed your millions
forget them at your starving peril
Neither forget us who are the ones
that keep the wild beasts at bay
the bears wolves coyotes racoons
sly foxes chewing chipmunks woodchucks
flower-eating deer and crapping geese
we not only hew the wood mine the rare metals
and feed the rushing waters into turbines
but when the Barbarians come
it will be our young who take up
the arms to protect those huddled
coddled voters behind the red walls inside
the moat of your civilized GTA
Oh you are welcome north to play
in our wild hinterland woods
sport about on our rivers and lakes
hike the highland forest trails
erect your flimsy red nylon tents
beside blackened abandoned fire pits
leaving thoughtless trash of cans
chip bags and paper coffee cups
visit also the quaint outlying villages
the farmer’s markets searching for
antiques honey-in-the-comb crafted quilts
ancient cars and tools for restoring
click photographs of foals and rollicking calves
fields of grains and growing corn
sip on our wines and crafted beers enjoy
But Premier remember us on your morning jog
remember us when we ask for a share
of healthcare and education perhaps
encourage us with grants for high tech
studies skilled apprenticeship programs
give us a few culverts and some asphalt
some lightly-taxed petro for our cars and trucks
if not for our forgotten trains and buses
give us decent shelter and jobs for our native peoples
and perhaps tender us a word or two of thanks
before the Bay Street bears and creditors
come growling like Barbarians
at your gates
