Words for the Weekend

Some of you may not know this about me and I hope that knowing it won't chase you away: I am Canadian. That's right, born and bred. And whether we want to admit it or not, being Canadian entails having some part of you connected to hockey. It may be the bunion on your right big toe or it may be pretty much your whole soul, but there's something.

Why is this important today? Well there's a Canadian team in the running for the cup right now - and we're one away. (translation for the non-hockey fans out there: there's a Canadian hockey team in the playoffs and if they win one more game, the Stanley cup is theirs for the year) So, in honour of all that, today's poem is actually a song. It's the unofficial Canadian national anthem. Those of you who know it - sing along!

From the book 'Going Top Shelf: An Anthology of Canadian Hockey Poetry' (and lots of other places, too) here's Stompin' Tom Connors:

The Hockey Song

Hello out there we're on the air it's hockey night tonight

Tension grows the wistle blows and the puck goes down the ice

The goalie jumps and the players bump and the fans all go insane

Someone roars "Bobby scores!" at the good ole hockey game.

Oh the good ole hockey game is the best game you can name

And the best game you can name is the good ole hockey game

2nd period:

Where players dash with skates aflash the home team trails behind

But they grab the puck and go bursting up and they're down across the line.

They storm the crease like bumble bees they travel like a burning flame

We see them slide the puck inside - It's a "1 - 1" hockey game!

Oh the good ole hockey game is the best game you can name

And the best game you can name is the good ole hockey game

3rd period: last game in the playoffs, too ...

Oh take me where the hockey players face off down the rink - 

And the Stanley Cup is all filled up for the chaps who won the drink - 

Now the final flick of the hockey stick and a gigantic scream - 

The puck is in! The home team wins! The good ole hockey game!

Oh the good ole hockey game is the best game you can name

And the best game you can name is the good ole hockey game

Here's hoping the Canucks bring it home on Monday night!! Have a great weekend, all!