THE SNOWS OF HOME
winter’s old familiar call as the snows of home blow over all
Snow: In big soft flakes melting on my tongue
Snow: Dressing the naked trees in glittering lace
Snow: blanketing the sleepingfields
Snow: shining pristine white in the pale sunlight
Snow: Crunching like sugar cubes beneath my feet
Snow: Blowing powdery on the ski slopes
Snow: Soggy and [...]

Dear Editor:
Re:The Specter-NYT-Spygate Super Bowl
As an American Fan of sports I would like to point out that cheating has always been AND ALWAYS WILL BE A BIG DEAL. Shoeless Joe Jackson was banned from baseball for life on just the rumor of it. While steroids might be an easier story for the owners [...]

Dear Editor:
The pristine snow glitters
in the pale sunlight
rosy cheeks and happy shrieks
as snowballs fly
Later in the firelight’s glow
hot chocolate, marshmallows,
sleepy heads
Tomorrow, another snowy day.
Hooray!
The trampled snow glistens
in the pale moonlight
Good night. Sleep tight.
Sweet dreams. Sweethearts..
William Bedford
Toronto, Ontario

Dear Editor:
Once upon a time, a boy named Tim was rooting around in the attic of his grandparents farmhouse when he came across an old wooden ball which had ten tiny holes drilled in it. The only other marking on the ball was the word “glug ” burned into it. Intrigued, the boy hurried to [...]

Dear Editor:
Re: Black Oriented Schools – How to hurt all Canadians
Just a word of thanks for your excellent article pouring cold water on the idea of black schools. You are absolutely right. Another point: the United States has a large number of “traditionally black colleges.” These are [...]

Dear Editor:
Oakland Ross (writing in the Toronto star) says that if Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were to visit Israel’s Holocaust Museum he would suddenly see how stupid his view of the Holocaust is. Ross is being naive. Ahmadinejad, like all dictators and tyrants, sees what he wants to see and hears what he wants [...]

Dear Editor:
Re: Why Al Qaeda Didn’t Kill Her And The Pakistani Military Did?
You call her “Mrs. Bhutto” which is blatantly incorrect, as she was not married to anyone named Bhutto. The common phenomena of married women using their maiden names renders the antiquated “Mrs.” inaccurate as well as inexcusably sexist.
Please desist.
Joyce

The New Year bells ring loud and
clear
across the chilly night,
and we sense a new beginning
as our hopes and dreams take
flight.
Every New Year it’s the same old
song
it seems we never learn
that’s because in our heart of
hearts, to improve ourselves,
we yearn.
A New Year filled with promises
to be better than we are
while our fears lurk in the
shadows
we [...]

WHEN THE CAROLS FADE
CHRISTMAS, ONCE AGAIN, IS HERE
BRINGING TIDINGS OF GOODWILL
BUT WHEN THE CAROLS FADE AWAY
THE BATTERED ONES ARE WITH US
STILL
THEY ROAM THE COLD AND FRIENDLESS
STREETS
SEARCHING FOR A GRAIN OF CHEER
REFLECTED IN THEIR HOPELESS EYES
ARE ALL THE THINGS WE HATE AND FEAR
HOMELESS AND ABANDONED
THEY’RE SOCIETY’S RESIDUE
BUT IF YOU LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER
YOU’LL SEE SOMEONE JUST [...]

JOYOUS NOEL
SING A SONG OF CHRISTMAS
THE PUDDING’S IN THE POT
THE TREE IS TRIMMED
THE WREATH IS HUNG
AND THE PUNCH IS PIPING HOT
SING A SONG OF CHRISTMAS
THE KIDS ARE TUCKED IN BED
THEY’VE PUT OUT MILK AND COOKIES
AND ALL THEIR PRAYERS ARE SAID
SING A SONG OF CHRISTMAS
FOR THESE GIFTS FROM ABOVE
FAITH AND HOPE AND CHARITY
TOLERANCE AND LOVE.
WILLIAM BEDFORD