On Guard for Thee

I am a serving member of the Governor General's Foot Guards. Throughout my time with this Regiment, I have had the opportunity to take part in many different activities and training. Throughout my time-in so far, I have met some life long friends, and been exposed to amazing people.It is no surprise then, that while in service to their country, some of these amazing friends and CAF Members have been killed in the line of Duty.

The loss of Cpl Nathan Cirillo strikes deeply into the heart of all military servicemen and their families.  By all accounts Corporal Cirillo was truly a shining star among us. I consider myself lucky and honoured to wear the same uniform as him, and hope that those who knew him will continue to honour his memory and carry on his tradition of professionalism and honour. 

I could not sleep the other night, and images of Cpl Cirillo's beaming smile were foremost in my thoughts when I took to writing this poem to ease my mind.

The following poem is dedicated to Corporal Nathan Frank Cirillo, (23 Dec 1989 – 22 Oct 2014)

---- Corporal Kyle Garrett Crego, GGFG----

All see Me here, as I stand ready,

I see you there, my heart beats steady.
Many come, to wish me well,
Against those who come, to bring us hell.

I've come well dressed, to serve you proper,
I've suited up, I stand here somber.

The world is twisted, Yet I stand tall,
Canada will stand, even if I fall.
You may get me, yet I care not,
For more will join, and undo the damage you wrought.

For Canada is Proud, and we do not waiver.                                           
So cower down and hide; it works in our favour.   
Nothing can undo, what our people have built,
In a time not too far, you'll take our sword to the hilt.

Aground

By your side daily, little seemed amiss,
Now you've faded, morning mist,
Always I'd see you smile and laugh
Now it's me alone, with the aftermath

Forgive me, For I watched you run aground
You could have stopped in time,
but go now, and leave a final yell
A scream that drowns all sound,
As you run your life aground.

How could anyone help,
When you'd hidden all the signs.
Hidden deep down inside,
Those Hidden eyes that cried,
How could we expect to see,
What you fought so hard to hide?

You reached out from time to time,
We didn't see it for what it was
Don't think it was intentional,
No one understood your Hell, 

Do you know that we all cared?
That your pain with us was shared?
There's nothing left to say
You've made your ugly choice,
Your struggle left without a voice.

Gone now from all our lives.
I hope your memory stays true,
Your internal suffering has ended
but now we'll never again have You.

Tonight

I don't have any comments this time.


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She walks alone on this road Tonight,
People all around, yet still, she's alone Tonight
Feeling dark and lonesome inside she finds herself Tonight
You've ignored her simple needs again Tonight
She's done with this waiting, she's decided: it all ends Tonight.

Sunshine on her skin, she knows she'll feel no longer,
She's beaten, broken, with no way left to get stronger
Fear and desperation have plagued her every moment
They rotted her mind to it's core, their poison, Potent.

She's sorry to those she hurts Tonight,
She wishes she hadn't felt alone in that room of people Tonight
That was the last blow her mind could take Tonight
There was One who could have flown away with her Tonight,
But through ignorance he's denied her wings a safe flight, Tonight

Before the end, with the water running red, she wonders,
Will they think of me after what happens Tonight?
Heart beating out who she was and would be, while outside it thunders
Her savior is out there beyond the rain, but wont be by her side Tonight.

Understand that all she wanted was your love Tonight,
But other things You and the Universe had planned Tonight,
While you laugh and smile without a thought of her, you're clueless,
You should know that she thought about you to the end, to the very last beat, Tonight.



---
Kyle

Sorrow

Whenever I start writing, I normally have a goal in mind with regards to where I would like to take the poem. Not so much with this one though.....

I pretty much just wrote what came to mind and tried to get the feelings down in a way that some readers might actually understand where I'm coming from in this one.

Hope you like it, and, as always, keep the emails coming.
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I'm moving along my own road.
I'm just walking along my road all alone.
There's no one here to share my sorrow.

I get so lost and dont know how,
I get so sad and understand now,
I get so far gone, Never again I vow.

Wish you would come take me Home,
Wish I could live to my own Song,
Wish I could meet you Here: but don't follow.

I'm moving along my own road.
I'm just walking along my road all alone.
There's no one here to share my sorrow.

You're living life so well Now,
You're trying to, but can't shake me off Now,
It Hurts to say it, but you're Lost Now,

Hey You, You're deep in my heart, I vow.
YesYou, My kisses, you'd always allow
Oh You, You're So Far Past my level now.


I'm moving along my own road.
I'm just walking along my road all alone.
There's no one here to share my sorrow.

Please now, just take me home,
Let me gaze in eyes that once Shone,
Please just get me away from this show.

I won't settle down unless you promise to lay it to waste,
And I won't calm myself until This promise, you make.
And I wont follow your guidelight until this chance you take.

I'm moving along my own road.
I'm just walking along my road all alone.
There's no one here to share my sorrow.

And If you hesitate at my offer this night,
And you don't want to hold me tight,
I wont bother you: and leave this very night.

It doesn't matter;
after all that's Said.
It doesn't matter;
after all that's done,
It doesn't matter;
No more tears I'll Shed,
It doesn't matter;
Just keep looking out for number One.

Hey, after all, it's My own Road.
Hey; It's Fine, I'll Walk it all alone.
Hey, To myself,  I'll keep my own sorrow.

Sleeping Beauty

Insomnia is probably one of the worst things I've ever had to deal with. It ruins entire weeks, drains your energy, causes stress to loved ones and just taints day to day experiences. However, it also provides someone like me with alot of time where everyone else is asleep, leaving the world fairly empty and quiet. I've been able to finish countless papers for school and write a few poems during my sleepless nights.
It also gives you the chance to see others in their most innocent state: asleep.




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It gets late one cold night,
So you're here in my bed.
Smiling, I turn off the light.
Careful not to wake you,
I always fear that I might.

I tip-toe in and lay beside you quietly
I hesitate before I kiss you:
You're sleeping so peacefuly.
Dreaming, Of what, I wish I knew.

A delicate smile shapes your lips,
So full and always so soft;
Perfectly parted, awaiting my kiss.
But I dare not intrude;
On a dream that gives you such bliss.
I`m afraid Id feel too rude,
So this chance Ì sadly miss.

"But wait", I muse: I'm Brave, I'm Bold!
I sneak an arm around your shoulder,
Now in my arms, you're mine to hold,
My heart's alone no longer.

In your sleeping ear, an important truth is Told:
"I love you, Dear! I love you!"
And I hope it finds you, and even in your dreams means more to you than Gold.

Escape

Now that the moon is down,
There's no light left to see,
Feel me, Lead me, forward we'll move.

Now that the moon is down,
It's our time to flee,
Hold me, pull me, we'll be out soon.

Now that the moon is down,
It's just you and me,
Love me, protect me, you've nothing to lose.

Now that the moon is down,
The sun will soon rise,
And safety, in this new day, resides.

The Struggle

I wrote this with the intention of it being a song, accompanied by an accoustic guitar and drums.




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You're not the first to notice;
I'm about to lose control.
Whispering in corners among those who see;
I've been fighting for so long.
Afraid to step into the struggle and turn the tide;
It's getting harder to win.

Come in and help me,
Come in and save me,
Come be the one I need to see.

They believe it's broken easily,
I assure you that it is not.
Others have thought the same,
I can barely hold up against such a force.
They talk and criticise as if it is beat so easily;
Just barely keeping my head above the surface.

Come in and help me,
Come in and save me,
Come be the one I need to see.


KGC

Ottawa

I got paid by a travel agent to allow him to use this poem for his flyers and advertising to help him promote Ottawa's fall/winter activites and encourage off-season tourists.

I definitely strayed from my comfort zone of depressed/sad or crazy/comedic  -type writing with this one, hope it's not too painful to read.

I threw in the rhyme-markers ( [A]/[B] etc. ) to break down the poem; It seemed to work better for people on my other site.

Hope you enjoy,

K


[A] It's fall in Ottawa, trees shower us with leaves,
[UU] The orange and red, so beautiful even dead,
[A] Crisp morning air, boosts the popularity of long-sleeves.

[B] For kids, school approaches, and they just want to play,
[VV] Being put to bed, after a story has been read,
[B] They dream of snowy adventures, and wake early the next day.

[C] The sun starts to leave, and stays out shining much less,
[WW] Home before dark, less playing at the park
[C] The snow starts to come, Oh what a mess.

[D] Although we complain, and some of us whine,
[XX] Of having to shovel, and that sort of trouble,
[D] There's  no debating the beauty of forests of snow-coverd pine.

[E] Sharpening skates for a tour of the canal,
[YY] Always a laugh for a fall, especially when witnessed by all;
[E] Whoever said winter here had to be banal?

[F]Some people find it lonely without our infamous Canadian geese,
[ZZ] Not singing about the city, they like visiting the States briefly;
[F] Others quite enjoy it, 'Thank goodness; some peace!'

Betty

I wrote this poem after my Grandmother passed away in June 2008.

'nuff said
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No words can ever express what you mean to me,
or begin to explain the pain inside that's so extreme,
I'll remember you always, and the lessons you taught,
and how you took the blame for trouble, wether it was you or not.

I know you loved me, and I'll never forget,
all the good times we had, and not one I'll regret.
Spilling cans at the store, or breaking windows at home,
all the movies and stories, I'll always have what you've shown.

You've left us now, though I know not by choice,
"I Love you so much" I still hear by your voice.
I'll try to be strong, though I know it's quite tough,
I'll be gentle with Zoe, and play not too rough.

I'll live like you said; one day at a time,
and try to forget your passing, it feels like quite a crime.
For such an adventurous woman, so happy with life,
A loving grandmother and mom, an especially great wife,
You were taken quite soon, and it hurts all the more,
My being's been shaken, right down to my core.

I know this poem is but words, and it won't bring you back,
but I feel like I owe a tribute, and with poems, I've a knack,

So i've written this small piece, hoping to make you proud,
and I love you and love you, and I'll shout it quite loud,

because when it all comes down to it, I've loved you so much,
and on everyone's life, you've had such an amazing and loving touch...

Kid's Book Excerpt

This is one of the poems from the children's book I'm currently working on. The whole storyline looks like a something from a Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (a.k.a.: Lewis Carroll) work, which is not surprising, because if I remember correctly, I had read "Through the Looking Glass" in the week leading up to writing this. And yes, there was some consumption of.... fire-water .... prior to writing this.


Some of the other limericks and poems in the book wouldn't make sense out of context, but I'll do my best to post the ones that are funny even out of the book.

***I am still looking for an Illustrator, for those of you who can draw. (email: KGCottawa@gmail.com)

A beringed hand, as big as a horse,
Came swooping down, on the Boy in Shorts
It knocked him over; he fell to his knees
there were rotten flowers all around, making him sneeze
And then saw the boy, the owner of the hand
Who must have come from a Far-off land
For he had; four noses, three ears and a tail
Seeing this Creature, the Boy let out a wail;
For he had never seen such a scary-looking beast,
And it was hungrily staring at him as if he were a Feast!



KGC

Un- titled/orthodox Sonnet

If there's one thing three hour philosophy lectures have taught me, it's that mind-numbing boredom can sometimes be cured with half-hearted attempts to write. I wrote this sonnet while my professor rambled on about the 'Many Worlds Theory' for the third consecutive period.

There were a bunch of comments on my other website as well as some messages sent to me, and they all dealt with the same few points. So, to avoid confusion up front, I'll clear it up in advance:

1. No, I do not think that poetry is dead, however, I do think that there has been a huge drop in the popularity and general respect for poetry as an artform.
2. Yes, I am being jovial and not utterly serious when talking about myself; i'm not seriously suggesting that this half-assed sonnet will trigger the rebirth of poetry. I was more aiming for a lighthearted piece somewhat similar to Robert Frost's, "The Oven Bird".
3. To those who commented on the rhyming patterns in this poem (and "Fall In Ottawa"), saying that they found some unorthodox or 'off-sounding', I can only answer with the following:

"IM RICK JAMES!"


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Untitled Sonnet

[A]  1   When I awoke this morning,
[B]  2   A surprise waiting there was for me
[C]  3   I heard the News claim that poetry had died,

[A]  4   And from now on there was only prose; how boring!
[B]  5   I set about to rectify this matter immediately,
[C]  6   To prove to the world that the news had lied.

[C]  7   Unfortunately my poem had much hubris it could not hide;
[C]  8   It was predominantly a production of a lowly poet's pride!

[D]  9   But my only goal was to aid poetry Live,
[D]  10   And only a small contribution did I give

[E]  11   But my hope is that it creates the first crack in the Wall,
[E]  12   And that the Barrier may be breached by any and all,

[F]   13   So former poets and writers; both published and unknown,
[F]   14   Come back and create; from your roots shall Poetry again be grown,

[G]  15   And perhaps I shall wake one day in the future and learn,
[G]  16   That in the rebirth of Poetry, some well-deserved recognition I did earn!


KGC

Those Who Were Brave

This poem is one of my favorites; I wrote it in about 4 minutes while at the Foo Fighters concert here in Ottawa a few years back. At the time, I had had a few drinks, and had received a News Alert on my blackberry that Canada had suffered more casualties in Afghanistan. I guess the combination of alcohol, Dave Grohl's dismal crooning (the song was 'Skin and Bones') and the realization that several families and Canada had just forever lost some great men combined to provide me with the right inspiration to pen this.

I have made some small edits over time, but the following is almost identical to what I threw down furiously that night while trying not to forget any of the lines.

1    Protecting the People, protecting their rights
2    We're calling you, Troops; come aid in this fight.
3    We need you to win, else all is lost.
4    We'll pay with your blood, But we'll further the Cause.

5    Come serve your time, for signing upon that line,
6    Come feel the shred, of the enemy's endless lead
7    Come here to die, yet through Death, Live

8    We'll all remember what you came to give.
9    And through Remembrance will the world learn Anew
10  What Hatred, Ignorance, and Evil Men can do.

11  And we'll praise you and rejoice, for the people are saved,
12  And we'll cry and we'll mourn, for Those Who Were Brave.