Poem: John B. Lee's "Hockey Heart"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that John B. Lee's poem, "Hockey Heart" reflects the Canadian spirit towards hockey, not simply as a sport for the nation, but as a way of life. The paper goes on to discuss the significance of the opening line of the poem, how Lee is able to capture the very personal relationship to hockey that each Canadian has even though it is an activity held dear by all Canadians, and the effective use of images in the poem. The paper concludes that Lee's poem "Hockey Heart" is like a national anthem, in that it is identifiable to those who had played and loved hockey.

From the Paper:

"Lee's hockey player however is the most committed boy of the bunch: he is "always the last to leave" a game. In each Canadian child hockey player's mind, they are the most passionate about the sport, and usually the most adept, committed player. However, Lee's hockey player is revealed here to be not only a committed player but the most romantic and dedicated one. The fact that he is the last to leave shows that he is the one who lags around after the game, reflecting on the game, his performance and his love of the sport."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Lee, John B. The Hockey Player Sonnets: Overtime Edition. Ontario: Penumbra Press, 2003.

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