poetry: january 1, 2009

STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR
Beatrice and Mira Contreras huddle under
a sleeping bag in front of the stage before
the New Year's celebration at Nathan
Phillips Square in Toronto, Dec. 31, 2008.

georgiou emptied the bins - coffee cups,
crushed cans, mickeys, wrappers, paper tissues
and sweeeping the Nathan Phillips Square
gathered frozen kisses, melting sighs,
discarded resolutions and shouted greetings
that had ushered in the first day of an uncertain year
as he went about methodically he knew he'd survive
- as would most in the west, relatively unscathed

the future is full of long shadows
for those in occupied Gaza, Somalia,
Darfur, FATA, Afghanistan, Iraq...
the world has shuttered the window
blinds drawn

wish you and those around you
health and peace for the coming months

having put in his hours in the chill
georgiou smiled sadly, took off work gloves
changed and went home