In July 2019, we travelled through the south-west part of Saskatchewan. A beautiful part of Canada, and a place where some of my ancestors settled in the early 1900’s.
Prairie lands stretch to horizons afar
One thinks of settlers with wagons hitched to the stars
Grasslands and badlands; coulees and buttes
The land is uneven with wide valleys as routes.
The people are few and spread far apart
Bonded together with green Roughrider heart
The communities are small but with spirits strong
Forever connected, they keep plugging along.
Bales of hay spread far across the land
While fields of wheat continue to stand
Under the sun, canola yellow brightly glows
Offset by fields of flax, coloured blue as it grows.
There are pumps all about pulling oil from the ground
And way down deep, potash is mined as it is found
Ranchers and farmers work the land and raise livestock too
Everyone together in work and play does their fair due.
Towns are connected by rail and by road
How one travels may depend on the load
If travelling by car, the roads are long and straight
If by train, one is more often than not simply freight.
Prairie dogs, white tailed deer and bison roam the land
Along with the snakes, none should be fed by the hand
The skies are blue but can become dramatically black
Bringing rain, snow or hail, their force can take one aback.
There are sports more than hockey that people play
Most popular is curling between October and May
Then there are baseball and football played under the sun
All of that said, not sure which is truly number one.
This land is majestic with its grandeur and size
Forever changing, there is always a surprise
By driving the roadways, and hiking the land
One discovers Saskatchewan and it is quite grand.