Losing Valuable Farmland Poem by Deanna Samuels

It's frightening, sickening, disturbing, shocking
Witnessing the countryside being destroyed
Acres upon acres of arable, Class A farmland
Churned up, laid out for new development plan
My heart drops as I see such a mangled scene
A scene not twice or thrice but tenfold and more
New towns, suburbs mushrooming before my eyes
Landscapes unrecognizable from those new scars
Cringing, almost bringing me to tears
Seeing such environmental destruction

Wildlife sacrificed, abandoned without thought
Their dens, burrows and holes demolished to naught
Homeless, bewildered, even if their lives are spared
Soon, new residents of houses wonder and despair
Bothered with foxes, coyotes and others who scavenge
Little grasp that homes now stand on their once den

Building goes on, relentless, hectares cemented over
Where is the pre-planned infrastructure?
Nowhere! No new freeways, railways or subways
Using whatever was there before, so - more congestion
Just as in over 40 years - not an inch on Finch
A disgrace, a complete failure of city planning
They, only looking for another four-year term

Yes, we need more housing, more expansion
Preparing the country for future generations
But is it always to the detriment of good farmland?
Of land cherished and loved by local folk
Not for lining the pockets of greedy developers
When will the people affected have their say?
It would seem never or rarely, as present rules go
Huge uproar saved beloved wet land - but for how long?
Still, we know the environment takes second place
If it takes any place at all


Written at Courtice, Ontario - 4th March 2021