Maureen McGreavy Pigeon Tart Poet Free verse

On Naming Greatness - Lake Ontario

Lake Ontario

great lake
beautiful lake
in Huron Wyandot 

Ontarí’io

names but thunder
they merely rumble 
intentions that echo

lake of shining waters 
beautiful water
in Iroquois Mohawk

Oniatari:io

names are how we honour
reflecting our own light
our little wave
our tide our turn
to appreciate this life

♡Like1

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Brian Reynolds September 8, 2026 at 1:55 PM But it will always be Lake Ontario..That song by Gordon Lightfoot,Wreck of the Edmund Fiztgerald comes to mind.

Robert Gorelick August 29, 2026 at 11:52 AM Well done--Bravo! I only wish more Americans appreciated and strove to understand cultures beyond our own. Such smugness and ignorance has served us poorly in the past, and continues to do the same. "Oh, Canada, I stand on guard for thee"! Faved. Cheers, Robert Maureen McGreavy Pigeon Tart August 30, 2026 at 5:21 AM Thank you Robert. I must confess, this canuck didn’t know the meaning of ontario, and I live in the province named after the lake… in Ottawa, Algonquin Odàwàg “to trade”, Canada, Iroquois Kanata “village” or “settlement”. More cultural understanding and appreciation globally would be nice I think. Cheers! xomo

Ilene Bauer August 28, 2026 at 1:09 PM well said, maureen! another embarrassment from this formerly proud country. i mostly just want to hide my head in the sand or pretend i'm canadian. believe me, there are many here who feel the same way - i hope you know that... Maureen McGreavy Pigeon Tart August 29, 2026 at 4:47 AM I can only imagine. I would rather my muse find sweeter inspiration, but here we are. Thank you dear. Hugs! xomo

Lin Lane August 28, 2026 at 10:38 AM Elbows up, Mo. The moron wants it so throw him in tied to an anchor! Disrespectful arse that he is. Maureen McGreavy Pigeon Tart August 29, 2026 at 4:43 AM Thank you dear. “Arse”, I use that word a lot for him, it’s got the argh in it when you say it. Hugs! xomo