Summer 2015
N.B. Mr Fraracci chose to not have his poem performed. In his words: “I would prefer to leave my poem in the written word, to be internalized by the reader”
Summer 2015
You’re the grandfather I never knew
But I often wish I had
A wife at home who mourned you
And eight others who called you Dad
When you left for work that morning
It was like any other day
Then you were gone without a warning,
Your life lost earning your pay
The Canal is a monument to many men
And I’m proud that you played a part
But the tragedies that happened back then
Have stricken many a heart
You helped build the mighty Seaway
With friends, with neighbours too
Your legacy is still awesome today
When I see it I think of you.
Published in Spirit of the Big Ditch: The Story of the Welland Canals in Pictures, Poems and Songs. Compiled, edited and annotated by Robert Ratcliffe Taylor. St. Catharines: The Historical Society of St. Catharines, 2024
After publication of the book, Mr. Fraracci wrote to Arden Phair, Project Manager:
I received my copy of ‘Spirit of the Big Ditch’ in the mail. Thank you very much for sending it to me.
I am very impressed with the effort and thought put into it’s creation. The photos and artwork really add context and depth to the songs and poems.
For example, the painting on the cover portrays a view that I often enjoyed while ‘gongoozling’. My best friend lived 3 buildings away from this viewpoint. I once talked my way into the operator’s hut atop the Clarence Street Bridge (Bridge 21) to take slide photos for a high-school project (what a rush!) The portrayals of historic Port Colborne are of special interest to me as are the images of the sailing vessels.
I don’t know if I ever mentioned this to you, but I did work on a laker – the S.S. Canadian Prospector – for one summer when I was 18, as a Second Cook and Porter. I was fortunate to traverse the entire seaway from Port Cartier to Thunder Bay along with multiple trips through the canal (always a highlight).
Congratulations to Mr. Taylor, yourself and the whole team involved in creating and publishing this book.
I will spend many hours enjoying this material.
The Historical Society of St. Catharines 