Growing up in the dark and the cold

I had a soft spot for the maple leaf:

One of ours made his name afar

Breaking bones defending a thin

blue line

.

I took comfort and found inspiration;

turned myself into a defender likewise,

We made drawings back then

of famous players; and of contemporary

downhill racers. We drew them and shared

as the children we were

.

In the land of the maple tree

I did not grow up to become the me,

but the pride of the leaf

remains with me still

on this day as if it was already mine &

for tomorrow