Fair Play

I was born in Australia and raised in the cities of Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, from the age of 3, after my parents emigrated. Being brought up in Alberta provided the opportunity to participate in many outdoor activities that I relished, such as skiing, hiking, fishing, camping, and canoeing. While I still enjoy these hobbies whenever I can get away from the city, I have lived in Edmonton permanently since 1973. Although I came to attend university, I settled into a career of plumbing and pipefitting until I retired in 2012. The diverse people and experiences I have encountered here have instilled a passion for the community and social justice issues present in daily life both within this region and beyond. Along with now volunteering more of my time in these areas with organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Development and Peace, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, I also promote and sell fair-trade products in various venues. Retirement has also given me the time to write more and share my feelings about the values I have gained through these activities. When introduced to the words and imagery of poetry, I began to write during my high school years and continued sporadically until recently to try to capture my feelings and experiences through the sounds of poetic language. Becoming more involved with social justice issues has opened my heart further, and retirement has provided the time to promote common good, faith, and social justice through writing poetry. I have previously published a book of poems two years ago, entitled The Iguanas of El Rey.