How did we end up
in this radio-free zone
for ten days?
we've camped in this section of the Park
for decades

I've never caused a real disturbance
no bassy boom box for me
but on our little black portable
liked my Oldies, Blue Rodeo, Eagles
even CBC Art talks
ok, a little country...

When Ottawa had a team
we listened while up here
to the football games from home
and Lowell Green’s talk show in the mornings

even the kids didn't abuse the volume
we trained them well
but sometime I guess, a few ruined it for many
or an over-keen naturalist pushed for new rules
and to camp in Midway, well, you're out of luck
if you want to have a radio going out in the open

we now we get our music fix
from one small walkman
for three of us

Big Brother's back again
now yet another camping law upon us
none against the mother across the way
who refuses to ever answer her kid's whine
on one note, one key, one power volume
'Mama??? Mama???' all day
five days steady, across from us
I'm getting old

I love kids, really
just wish he'd master one more word
another octave
or that his parents would answer him!
I'd throw them a campfire celebration!

In normal times I'd just turn on my -
don't even think about it.
Yesterday I hiked past Sawmill Bay area
Snoopy and the Red Baron's song
on the Oldies, emerged from a site
and the lady washing dishes, groovin to the tune
singing along

relish this liberty for now
I wanted to tell her,
you may be next to go

It's not my fault this park is so popular
we couldn't pick another section for our lives
by the time we could plan our trip

Now I like silence and solitude to a degree
but how will I tune out my imaginings
of late night murderers, racoon, bear and
the miscellaneous scary sounds, at night?
Or the thunder that echoes with a double punch here
as it booms back at us
off the Rock

No longer the late-night American sexy talk shows
or heated debates on air, to soothe

should have listened to our son
he warned us not to bother
bringing our regular radio
if we’re in the Midway section

thank God we have his guitar-playing
hope they never outlaw that
don't even whisper the thought!

But he hates his parents beneath headphones
says we turn deaf or tune right out
and shout to talk
the tension mounts as we all grab for
the only unit connecting us to old beats, fresh news

whines and screeches from human offspring mustn't count
and are granted noise amnesty
(Yes, I know, mine had lungs and idiosyncrasies too)
but I wince as Mama Mama resumes
and head off toward Sawmill Bay
to hear what's playing

08/15/2001