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04Sep 18
A Poem on a Misty Afternoon
0 CommentEach year, to close out the READ Saskatoon Golf Tournament for Literacy, a poet laureate reads the poem they created throughout that day. We were honoured to have Amy Jo Ehman as our poet this year. Here is her poem.
We gather here today in the name of
Peter Gzowski,
A man who loved to read and golf, see
he believed in the power of words
to change a life
to open doors
to have our voices heard.
Perhaps he saw that golf
could teach us
patience practice perseverance
and a sense of humour in the face of
hazards in the way.
But just imagine
if you read and wrote as
badly as you play 🙂
First off the tee it's straightaway
into a patch of rough,
or sliced into the trees,
no matter how you look at it
you can't see the fairway for the forest
when you're in the thick of it.
That water hazard
it's a book
and you don't bother going there
even accidentally.
That sand trap
it's a contract you will never get out of
without a penalty.
Which in golf is just a stroke or two,
It makes you mad
but in the end you can
always take a Mulligan.
Imagine Mr. Gormley
sitting at the microphone
or Mr. Vanerhaeghe at his computer
in his office at his home
or Mr. Morgan reviewing legislation
to increase social funding for the
learners of our nation…
And all the words were fuzzy like
golfing in the rain.
It's all green
I mean Greek
to someone who can't read.
Real life ain't no Texas Scramble.
But it sure helps to have friends in
high places
who don't mind going first so that
others may go far.
You know who you are.
So
let's raise a toast to Mr. Gzowski
and everyone who reads and golfs
and gives
in this community,
no matter what your golfing skills
it's fun to golf for
literacy.
[Note: golfers included John Gormley, radio host, Guy Vanderhaeghe, award-winning author, and Don Morgan, minister in the government of Saskatchewan.]
Poem by Amy Jo Ehman
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