I am Canadian - Duke Redbird
I’m a lobster fisherman in NewfoundlandI’m a clambake in P.E.I.
I’m a picnic, I’m a banquet
I’m mother’s homemade pie
I’m a few drafts in a Legion hall in Fredericton
I’m a kite-flyer in Moncton
I’m a nap on the porch after a hard day’s work is done
I’m a snowball fight in Truro, Nova Scotia
I’m small kids playing jacks and skipping rope
I’m a mother who lost a son in the last Great War
And I’m a bride with a brand new ring
And a chest of hope
I’m an Easterner
I’m a Westerner
I’m from the North
And I’m from the South
I’ve swam in two big oceans
And I’ve loved them both.
I'm a clown in Quebec during carnival
I'm a mass in the cathedral of St. Paul
I'm a hockey game in the forum
I'm Rocket Richard and Jean Beliveau
I'm a coach for little league Expos
I’m small kids playing jacks and skipping rope
I’m a mother who lost a son in the last Great War
And I’m a bride with a brand new ring
And a chest of hope
I’m an Easterner
I’m a Westerner
I’m from the North
And I’m from the South
I’ve swam in two big oceans
And I’ve loved them both.
I'm a clown in Quebec during carnival
I'm a mass in the cathedral of St. Paul
I'm a hockey game in the forum
I'm Rocket Richard and Jean Beliveau
I'm a coach for little league Expos
I'm a babysitter for sleep defying rascals
I'm a canoe trip down the Ottawa
I'm a holiday on the Trent
I'm a mortgage, I'm a loan
I’m last week’s unpaid rent
I’m Yorkville after dark
I’m a walk in the park
I’m a Winnipeg gold-eye
I’m a hand-made trout fly
I’m a wheat-field and a sunset
Under a prairie-sky
I’m Sir John A. MacDonald
I’m Alexander Graham Bell
I’m a pow-wow dancer
And I’m Louis Riel
I’m the Calgary Stampede
I’m a feathered Sarcee
I’m Edmonton at night
I’m a bar-room fight
I’m a rigger, I’m a cat
I’m a ten-gallon hat
And an unnamed mountain in the interior of B.C.
I’m a maple tree and a totem pole
I’m sunshine showers
And fresh-cut flowers
I’m a ferry boat ride to the IslandI’m the Yukon
I’m the Northwest Territories
I’m the Arctic Ocean and the Beaufort Sea
I’m the Prairies, I’m the Great Lakes
I’m the Rockies, I’m the Laurentians
I am French
I am English
And I'm Métis
But more than this
Above all this
I am Canadian and proud to be free.
I'm a canoe trip down the Ottawa
I'm a holiday on the Trent
I'm a mortgage, I'm a loan
I’m last week’s unpaid rent
I’m Yorkville after dark
I’m a walk in the park
I’m a Winnipeg gold-eye
I’m a hand-made trout fly
I’m a wheat-field and a sunset
Under a prairie-sky
I’m Sir John A. MacDonald
I’m Alexander Graham Bell
I’m a pow-wow dancer
And I’m Louis Riel
I’m the Calgary Stampede
I’m a feathered Sarcee
I’m Edmonton at night
I’m a bar-room fight
I’m a rigger, I’m a cat
I’m a ten-gallon hat
And an unnamed mountain in the interior of B.C.
I’m a maple tree and a totem pole
I’m sunshine showers
And fresh-cut flowers
I’m a ferry boat ride to the IslandI’m the Yukon
I’m the Northwest Territories
I’m the Arctic Ocean and the Beaufort Sea
I’m the Prairies, I’m the Great Lakes
I’m the Rockies, I’m the Laurentians
I am French
I am English
And I'm Métis
But more than this
Above all this
I am Canadian and proud to be free.
To listen to me read the poem to you please click the link below:
ELA A30 students: You are expected to complete all of the questions under each poem. You are expected to complete using full sentences and proper grammar.
ELA A31 students: You will choose at least 2 of the questions under each poem, which you can answer best to your knowledge and understanding. You are expected to complete using full sentences and proper grammar.
How you will be marked: Poem Analysis Marking Scheme
I am Canadian (Redbird) Questions
1. Duke Redbird is Ojibway and was born on the Saugeen Reserve near Owen Sound, Ontario. Why does he then identify himself with other people and things in his poem?
2. What is the author's connection to the land?
3. What are/ is your favorite line(s) in this poem and why?
INSTRUCTIONS
- Please use the google form to answer these questions to me with your name clearly marked on your assignment to get credit for your thoughts and ideas. I'm Canadian Questions- Google Docs
2. Click submit once you have finished all the questions
3. By using the Google form it will be emailed to me directly.
Once you have completed your poetry questions, please clearly mark your name on your assignment and email/ Google Doc it to Mrs. Otke, so you can get credit for your ideas and thoughts.