Parliament Hill

Peace Tower on Earth, Good Will to All People

48402910_10213966308980451_5710207819450417152_n

A Tower Called Peace

 

At the center of Parliament Hill stands

Peace on earth, good will to all people

A tower that someone named Peace

 

A Maple Leaf flag flies above this tower

Peace on earth, good will to all people

The symbol of a nation called Village

 

This Village is a colorful and orderly mess

Peace on earth, good will to all people

Of all kinds, pieces from all over making a mosaic

 

Trying for harmony, we hit some off notes

Peace on earth, good will to all people

As we struggle to read a score half-written

 

This village has its bad days and hits rough patches

Peace on earth, good will to all people

Despite its “Sorry” reputation

 

And this Village has its dark bits, closeted skeletons

Peace on earth, good will to all people

Of racism, violence, injustice, greed

 

As with any village, perfection is illusory

Peace on earth, good will to all people

An ideal unreachable as we reach from the real

 

Yet there stands that Tower someone called Peace

Peace on earth, good will to all people

Maybe not as a boast, maybe as a prophecy

 

Not a prophecy as in “fortune” like in a cookie

Peace on earth, good will to all people

But prophecy as a Voice of one crying in the wilderness

 

A Voice speaking truth to the Village

Peace on earth, good will to all people

Saying, “To claim peace you must first be peace”

 

Perhaps that Tower towers over the Village

Peace on earth, good will to all people

As a marker to make Peace impossible to forget

 

When everything but Peace seems to rule the day

Peace on earth, good will to all people

The Tower seems to say, “Pay attention.”

 

“Stay frosty, Village. Keep keen and sharp as blades.”

Peace on earth, good will to all people

“Peace isn’t easy, or cheap, or postcard material.”

 

Peace only comes after the battle, after bloodshed

Peace on earth, good will to all people

And Peace, truly, takes a Village

 

Everyone, everywhere, every day, every moment

Peace on earth, good will to all people

Fighting to be harmony in a discordant world

 

On Parliament Hill is a Tower called Peace

Peace on earth, good will to all people

In a big World that needs a little Village

 

To help it know: Peace on earth, good will to all people

 

 

  • Ronald Kok, December 2018

 

A Year of Creating Dangerously, Day 338: A Walkabout on the Hill

24296330_10211383363568430_4862441694628927577_n

It is de rigueur to make a visit to Parliament Hill when you’re a tourist in the city of Ottawa, Ontario. However, even us residents are reminded now and again just how picturesque that iconic area can be.

I had a serendipitous opportunity to take a stroll around the Hill yesterday morning, when a bright blue sky and brilliant sunshine illuminated the historic buildings and monuments, the panoramic vistas and symbols of Canada. I had gone downtown to collect the money I had made of an artwork I sold a month ago in a pub called the Atomic Rooster. The staff who could access the money was not going to be in for another hour so, with my Second Cup coffee in hand, I took a walk.

The resulting photos are only with my cell phone camera but it turned out to be a relaxing and re-creating morning for me. Below are the shots I took, giving you a glimpse of the centerpiece of this city. I do love this place so, I cannot deny it.

24176977_10211383356848262_6057228760346234466_n24232768_10211383357408276_2617496991827846024_n24231731_10211383358488303_5821825206430800268_n24312405_10211383357608281_4245543876267931402_n24232791_10211383358248297_3050567779720441100_n24232628_10211383358928314_2913016743953728507_n24174497_10211383359328324_7516671772571921423_n24232603_10211383359968340_2282704905946739099_n24232695_10211383362608406_3909502988903913463_n24131217_10211383363368425_4753953526251853714_n24129613_10211383360968365_5101780802684206449_n24129575_10211383370408601_7380555771695428882_n24068296_10211383360528354_1481527712236184402_n24232183_10211383362928414_2640026710076601640_n24232494_10211383361448377_4891682415748753925_n24232459_10211383360328349_6231694161645397745_n24232097_10211383369808586_6237422160298445974_n24296330_10211383363568430_4862441694628927577_n24296853_10211383368608556_5073281051606471145_n24232741_10211383362288398_8089420420162880382_n24174412_10211383369448577_8294369342683995875_n24294457_10211383363968440_1310757557027140845_n24232663_10211383364368450_3203843923253601237_n24174579_10211383364808461_6895825095452998777_n24294308_10211383369048567_5250757097318875095_n24293887_10211383365408476_1930444043164372839_n24312783_10211383365048467_99519246341576215_n24177037_10211383368168545_4148848946759412396_n24294245_10211383366688508_5901891152421917829_n24174430_10211383367488528_552266721019859241_n