While young and frail at Poplarvale, our mentors taught a stirring song;
It eulogized forefathers’ feats, didn’t help us to belong;
As baby-boomers, second-gen, our homes like cookie-cutters,
It taught us patriots’ sentiments, dismissed those of our mothers.

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In days less pure, the clan named Muir brought young Alex to these shores;
He breathed old T.O.’s Orangeman’s air, worked with skill his teaching chores.
He honored shamrock, thistle, rose, tall trees, and roots with Britain;
And second-prized our Founding Year(1) a songsmith’s competition.

No copyright, no fleur-de-lys; of insight only traces -
His “Maple Leaf” excluded half our country’s founding races.

On days of pomp, when bands would romp from Lakes to FroBay and Sea to Sea,
The trick was to pick “God Save the Queen” from “My Country ‘Tis of Thee”.
The music-sheets for these two treats seemed equal when you scanned them;
We’d need decide in love and pride the True North’s national anthem.

Untwine the Line at Forty-Nine, les Ricains(2) might endeavour;
Could we that fragile Line define with “Maple Leaf Forever”?

Though reg’ments touted it their tune, and Anglo journals ranted,
Decades ago, “O Canada” Muir’s time-worn chant supplanted.

More recent play: ere Y2K, the CBC a contest ran -
So flourished a new pluralist “Leaf” by songwright Vlad Radian.
Its fabled British glory tamed, no heaven or hegemony;
Games TwentyTen ‘twas Bublé-showed, while “O” did Ceremonies.

Its reassembled mission clear, a newfound “Feuille” quite clever,
On-base, pristine, past sins redressed, esprit chauvin dismembered.
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Five decades late, we congregate, our Grade Eight class remembered,
No “Maple” hymn heard in the gym - the song’s appeal now severed(3).

(1) 1867, year of Canadian confederation; (2) short for les Américains;
(3) an ancient tree which presumably had inspired Muir’s lyrics, was destroyed by a storm in July 2013.