Look in the Mirror: A Political Poetry Commentary

For my fellow Albertans, we know that occasionally (well often) the political system can be frustrating. Recently, one of Alberta’s premiers was asked about the financial crisis many Albertans understand the reality of only too well. A comment about ‘looking in the mirror’ set not only Albertans on edge but trended Canada-wide on twitter (#PrenticeblamesAlbertans). He later clarified the statement but the damage had been done. Now we face a bi-annual election in the near future after the new provincial budget was released, reintroducing health premiums. The flipside to Prentice’s comment was not an accusation but rather a call to work together to solve the problems facing Alberta.

Money money money

The source of too many worldly problems

Trying to make ends meet

While they fray at the edge

–

We’re just looking for a scapegoat for our problems

Not owning up, not looking forward

Stuck in the past we’re so concerned with

Stuck in our ways we’ve always followed

–

People don’t change, not really

When things go well, we’ll support whoever

When things are bad, we want something new

Someone new

–

Not all of us can afford to just replace one with another

When the going gets tough we don’t see the tough get going

We see more people on the benches

Unwilling to be the change we need to see

–

And I’m right with you there

I’m happy on my warm spot on the bench

I’ve put my effort into comfort and stability

But it’s time to reach for more instead

–

We’re accusing our leaders that we elected, that we said we wanted

For being out of touch with us

Who made them leaders in the first place though

Are we any more in touch?

–

Just like with WWI blame is so hard to lay

It depends upon your stance and standing

It depends upon what you understand

Upon what you’ve been told

–

Would we make better leaders

Honestly ask yourself this

Would you understand me

Any more than I don’t understand you?

–

People rarely change

Because we don’t want to

We’re happy in our cocooned world

Of comfort and peace

–

Only when friction occurs

Are we willing to fix the cause

Smooth out the path before us

In the only way we see how

–

If the driving force of change is us

Then the driving force of sameness

Also resides in us, so maybe perhaps

Prentice is half right

–

We all need to look into the mirror

But not as an individual with a world of responsibility

But as a world of collectives capable and able together

To achieve the most incredible things.

[Featured image source]