An Immigrant's Dilemma

How I long to walk my dog, down country lanes
With no fear of bears, or coyotes, or wolves, or cougers
Coming to attack my much loved pet

How I long to sit in a garden in the summer
Not plagued with mosquitoes
And without the smoke of distant forest fires
To cloud my sight and fill my throat

How I long to enjoy year-round walks
Without 5 months of snow and ice
And the fear of falling over
And hurting myself, again

And yet, and yet
I know that when I leave you, Canada
I will miss your wide open spaces
Your lakes and parks and evergreens
Your friendly, smiling people

I will miss seeing the bears
Climbing into the neighbours' apple trees
And the deer in the forest behind my home
And the first snowfall
That blankets our lakes and mountains
And makes everything clean and pure

Will I sit in my English garden
And dream of endless blue skies
Covering forests of fir
And clear lakes and canoes
And RVs heading for campsites and pastures new?

I will remember your spirit, Canada
I will remember your warm summers
And your snow covered winters
And I will smile

But I will walk and walk and walk with my dog
Without fear for her safety

I've had my adventure
I'm heading home - soon......