Winnipeg Poem
(“At the Crux of Two Rivers”)

At the crux of two rivers that hold
more than they wash away
an imperfect city stands, restless
in the heat of its own light –

          aglow in grin, gleaming from one
          bundled-up neighbour to another
          waving a glove-clad good morning

          aglow in bright eyes
          as learners file into classrooms
          to take in new wisdom
          and churn out tomorrow.

          aglow from the sun,
          glinting on the Golden Boy,
          glancing down at a city
          that spends each day learning
          & loving,
           & overcoming,
          & looking fearlessly into its own flaws
          & renaming them lessons
          in forgiveness
          in growth
          in relentless hope.

The tale of two rivers
of one city
whose story is still being written
crafted by unsure hands,
building, breaking
bread, holding on
to each other, taking up
pencil & paintbrush & laser pointer,
coming together, determined
to tell our own tale, to say something
beautiful about ourselves
and to make it true.