In grade school
we learned superlatives in two ways
the language of good, better, best
the math of greater than, less than
I loved language
loved the fluidity, the melody, the clarity
loved the ways in which worth could be given
and taken
with words
the strength of language
the simplicity and complexity of language
good and bad, good and better, bad and worse
Now, I have become a superlative
in the eyes of my government
now I am officially less than
and worth can be taken away
for what I am and who I am
A Canadian who is not
Canadian enough
by a measure so simple, so basic
it cannot capture me
good and bad, good and better, bad and worse