Click below to listen to the narration:
gather...small kin of earth and sky...and listen close...to tales the stones have held...where ancient wisdom grows...this silent aggregate...by time and nature wrought...a canvas vast...where canada's deep story's brought...beneath the gaze of watchful crows...on soft...green spread...the rabbits twitch...the squirrels pause...where olden spirits tread...the mice...so small...yet sharp of ear...the vultures circle high...all gather 'round...as winds of change whisper through the sky...each weathered grain...a whispered memory...profound...of ice-clad ages...when the first brave footfalls found...this vast expanse...a wilderness both harsh and grand...where indigenous nations lived...across this northern land...their vibrant cultures...languages...a tapestry so bright...woven through seasons...guided by the northern light...the treaties signed...the sacred vows...in hopeful dawn arrayed...some honored well...some fractured...by promises betrayed...then sails appeared...on waters deep and wide they came...from distant shores...to claim this land...to speak a different name...the fur trade flourished...river routes...by canoe and portage made...where cultures clashed...and new alliances were laid...from east to west...the railways bound...a nation forged in steel...through mountain passes...prairies vast...a destiny to feel...the quiet strength of farmers' hands...the miners' dusty toil...building towns and cities...on this rich and fertile soil...through world wars fought...on foreign fields...and battles hard at home...a country rallied...side-by-side...no longer left to roam...as separate parts...but rising up...a spirit strong and true...forging peace from sacrifice...for me and also you...the many voices...diverse dreams...from every corner brought...a mosaic rich...where every thread...a new perspective taught...for freedoms gained...for rights proclaimed...for justice we still strive...a constant striving...evermore...to keep true hope alive...but forces change...relentless still...the earth beneath our feet...the consequence...a future veiled...where past and future meet...the whispers warn of warming lands...of waters rising high...the ancient wisdom of the wild...reflected in the sky...will we remember lessons learned...from stones that stand so tall...will reverence for nature's grace...prevent a destined fall...for crows and rabbits...squirrels and mice...the vultures circling bold...bear witness now...to stories new...as canada unfolds...