Leave it All on the Ice
© Maria Dunn, 2021
Arranged M. Dunn, S. Johnson, S. McDade
With the growing crisis of people who are unhoused in many cities across Canada and in my own community, I wrote this song inspired by the street teams for various grass roots organizations who engage directly with people sleeping rough to offer compassion, solidarity and help with basic needs. These beautiful citizens inspired this song.
Boyle Street Community Services in particular (at the time of writing this song) sat in the shadow of Edmonton’s new downtown arena, thus the hockey metaphor.
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There’s a team on the ice every Saturday night
They’ve stolen my heart as an underdog might
Give all they’ve got, strive for the goal
Leave it all on the ice to bring everyone home
And you know who’s on the starting line
Unassuming champions, gentle giants who
Challenge the callous, vanquish the dark
See each soul out here for who they are
Bring them home, bring them home
Leave it all on the ice! we need everyone
Bring them home, bring them home
Leave it all on the ice! (to bring) everyone home
When winter tears at your fingers in spite
Their reflective vests catch the light
Open arms on the avenue
Lift us all with the work they do
No one judged, no one ignored
A hand, a hot meal, a kind word
Still, it makes them mad they can’t do more
When the safety net is deliberately torn
This team is not riled when the going’s rough
But of government stalling—enough!
They drop the gloves at greed and disdain
That target the poor again and again
You don’t know what someone has survived
To be out here fighting for life
To see a person bullied along
With no place to go is twisted and wrong
No matter what has happened to you
No matter what you’re going through
You deserve a decent place to live
Without housing, where does healing begin?
Maria Dunn vocal, acoustic guitar, accordion
Shannon Johnson violin
Jeremiah McDade whistle
Solon McDade upright bass
Penalty box belters: Dawn Cross, Joel Gray,
Shannon Johnson, Jeremiah McDade