‘I would never go myself because, you know, I have the internet, but I hear that Montreal’s Botanical Gardens is a nice place to visit!’

At the age of forty-five I started

teaching Canadian Literature.

My students learned to bow their heads and sing,

‘The soul of the suburbs is in my toes.’

I met all the great writers nobody

outside Canada has heard of: Burksome,

McAllister, Fatchett, Stemens and Donk.

Not a well-dressed crew but, you know, sincere.

I watched nature shows on the internet

and lived east, near the Place Versailles mall,

took afternoon coffee in the food court,

and graded papers. ‘C for Canada!’

‘Mais, vous avez un accent américain!’

I’d been to the Del Taco in Barstow,

I’d been to the Del Taco in Roseville.

It was time to retire in Montreal.