The Man From Newfoundland
After I wrote my recent article on the derogatory use of the word “Newfie” I received an email from a young lady in Ontario named Valeri. This lady hadn’t yet read the piece but instead had read a commentary of mine written shortly after the Newfoundland and Labrador rink captured their gold medal in Turin. She wanted me to know that she had been touched deeply by the piece and also wanted to share something very special. Considering my previous article, her timing couldn't have been better. I was so touched by her story that I in turn wanted to share it with all of you.
Here is what Valerie had to say:
Today I was sent an email with a copy of your article, "Curling Gold And National Pride in Newfoundland and Labrador", by my favorite Co-worker who happens to have been born and raised in Newfoundland. I really enjoyed the article, found it very informative and just had to share something with you.
My father, God rest his soul, immigrated to Canada from Northern Ireland and settled in Toronto, Ontario years ago. He worked as an electrician at Canada Packers and he always saw the good in people. He was also very good at putting in to words how he felt.
My father was not a professional poet but loved to write poetry. Many years ago he wrote a poem titled "The Man From Newfoundland”.
Back in 1990 he sent a copy of his poem to the Downhomer who published it in December of that year. This is what he said in the note he attached to the poem:
Dear Sir,
I wrote the enclosed poem a few years ago, after hearing some of the negative jokes about the people of Newfoundland. I hope this poem will put Newfoundlanders on that special plateau, which is reserved for hard-working, fun-loving people like themselves.
I am originally from Ireland and I have noticed a striking similarity between the Irish and the people from Newfoundland.
Yours Sincerely,
Les Martin,
Willowdale, Ontario
As I mentioned, he was a very special man who always found the good in everybody and always looked on the bright side of life. I am constantly inspired by his wisdom as I go through life and I am sure many others were as well. Thank you for taking the time to read my note and the poem about the wonderful people from Newfoundland. Thank-you also for offering to share it with your readers, I would love that. I am sure my father would be pleased!
Whenever I am having a bad day, I pull out the poem, read it and become transported away from what was bothering me for a short while. Dad would have been very happy to know that he has touched others even after his passing. I hope you enjoy the poem as much as my friends from Newfoundland have.
Every time I read it, it brings back the beautiful memories that I have of my father.
Valerie
Thank-you Valerie, I’m sure our readers will enjoy it very much as well.
Myles
The Man From Newfoundland
By Les Martin
Dec 18, 1931- March 19, 1999
You will meet him as you go through life
And he’ll always shake your hand
You can count, when you’re in trouble
On the man from Newfoundland
When some folks talk about him
Telling jokes which aren’t too grand
You can tell that they are jealous
Of the man from Newfoundland
From St. John’s to the Grand Banks
And all through this great land
You’ll never find another
Like the man from Newfoundland
He’ll invite you in and treat you well
And when you drink his brand
He’ll tell you all the stories
Of good old Newfoundland
In Corner Brook or Marystown
When you’re dancing to a band
Just listen to the fiddler
He’s the man from Newfoundland
Perhaps some day you’ll meet him
Then you will understand
Why he makes the world a better place
The man from Newfoundland
7 comments:
Hello Myles,
Thank you for publishing my father's poem. He would be thrilled if he was here today. Keep up the good work of spreading the news about the great people of Newfoundland!
All the best!
Valerie
Thank-you Valerie for brightening up my day. With all the negative things going around these days (seal protests, the situation with that policeman out west, etc.) it's nice to see that there are indeed people in the rest of Canada who don't look down on us.
Bye the way, there's also an interesting article on the Globe & Mail site. Except for what I saw as 2 or 3 little "digs" at the province it isn't a bad read. Here's the address:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060314.wnewfiee0314/BNStory/Business/home
Thanks Valerie and Myles. Valerie you are probably aware that we have a strong tradition of oral storytelling in NL with the likes of Ted Russel, Al Clouston, and Ray Johnson. Your father has captured that tone and tradition very well with this poem.
Personally I always hear my grandfather's voice. He was a good man with a good strong voice and enjoyed storytelling and poems very much.
Thanks for letting us read it. I enjoyed it very much.
BNB
nice!
Very True!
Oh good grief!!
Yes, very nice poem, nice sentiment.
But honestly, having lived among Newfies for a year I have to say that they are very very nice when they first meet you. They want to take you in, tell you all about their home, The Rock, and talk and talk about everything Newfoundland. Good. Fine. Great!
But that's it. It ends there....they're not interested in YOUR home, they couldn't care less about issues in other parts of the world or the country. They don't ever call you up and invite you out. In large gatherings you sit alone with your spouse and be ignored. If you say, I'm sorry I don't understand what you said, they get offended.
This is a lonely island for an "outsider". I've never experienced such clannishness and exclusion in my life and I've lived in many places. Yes, you are friendly, but only on the surface and only until you finish talking about yourselves.
Sorry.
To "Anynoymous Said"
Newfoundlanders go about their daily lives, wether in AB, Ont, or here in the province with the best of intentions. When your lifestyle, culture or any other representitive aspect of your life is referred to in a slang manner, you're not going to interact with the numbskull who said it, or return any compassion. We only listen when we are finnished talking about ourselves?, well considering Newfoundland represents 2% of Canada's population, I think we should be talking alot more. At around 490,000 give or take some thousands, we're as small an ethnicity in Canada as Tamils, or Indians in Toronto, yet we get even less respect from our Canadian contemporaries. The average Newfoundlander's voice in Canada, in any realm, usually goes unheard until we light a fire under Ottawa's ass (Thanks and much respect Danny Williams). I'll go out on a limb and say your from a "mainland" Canadian province, and thats the exact ignorance to expect. A Newfoundland lifestyle is vastly different then anywhere else in Canada, where hard work, determination, and respect is as natural as breathing, A mainland Canadian can't appreciate that & through their ignorance, would choose not too. Yes, I find the term "Newfie" extremely offensive, and it rings resoundingly of the complete unappreciation & misunderstanding in Canadian society for it's Newfoundland.
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