These poems each have a set of guided questions, related videos that allow for deeper investigation, and suggested writing activities. We'll be adding more poems here soon! Beat! Beat! Drums! With rich bombastic language and Whitman's trademark sprawling lines, this poem rallies troops for war. Community Garden Seeking to escape internet trolls the speaker turns her eye to the garden Letters In this tender poem tracing a lost love, the speaker holds on by letting things go… The Lonely Land In this free verse poem, snapshots of a wild landscape show that beauty and conflict are not mutually exclusive — and that one may be derived from the other. From Correspondences Anne Michaels challenges us to find new maps to think about old experiences. A Stone Diary A love poem to a stone takes on deeper, rockier meanings. The Powwow at the End of the World Sherman Alexie slams the environmental destruction of settler-colonialism as we travel on an upstream course towards the powwow at the end of the world. Declaration of Intent Rita Wong invokes the "sacred bond" of water in this poem that invites us to learn from watersheds, and to act in their defense. Qawanguq with Fox Abigail Chabitnoy’s dreamscape of a poem depicts a coy little fox. Dulce et Decorum Est Wilfred Owen brilliantly uses rhyme and meter in this brutal poem about a poison gas attack during WWI. But I’m No One But I’m No one is a reflection on our tendency to fear death and the manifestation of this fear through uncanny beliefs. The Fatigue Fatigue is often the first sign something is wrong with one's body. Fatigue looms larger than life in this poem which grapples with meds, family, and coping. Editing the Prairie If the prairie was a written story, imagine the rejection letter it might get! The Problem With Being a Box Too Small for Its Contents Misch expounds the unbearable work needed after a breakup: to separate from your lost love and “rejoin yourselves…even when you don’t want to.” Letters In this tender poem tracing a lost love, the speaker holds on by letting things go… Guanahani, 11 This bracing ballad (re)considers the beauty and history of the Caribbean island where Christopher Columbus first landed. Not the Music In Not in the Music, Crozier explores the inviolable: the sacred parts of ourselves that we cherish as personal sanctuaries. niya A physical encounter with a stranger ignites a fire of emotions about how to express the trauma of settlement and life in a colonial, urban environment. Two Words: A Wedding bpNichol presents life as a river of ever-changing words and asks us to step in. One Art When loss feels inevitable, sometimes the only thing to do is write it down… Mantra of No Return It is possible to travel home when one has never been there. This poem does. Low Tide on Grand Pré The setting sun gives rise to a treasured memory of Grand Pré in this somber, rhythmic poem. Reluctance Even after you’ve jumped all the fences, climbed all the hills, and looked at the world, it can be hard to accept how you feel… Fast Commute Laurie Graham weathers an incongruous ice storm in this poem-excerpt that asks us to pause and understand that we are present here, “and with this understanding to start to hear.” “Breathe dust…” Nearly punctuation-free, this is a breathless journey through memories of a youth spent in rural Canada. The Tyger In the woods at night, the speaker talks to a magical animal… The ABG (Able-Bodied Gaze) The abled-bodied gaze is an intrusive force in this poem, making a spectacle of a disabled body and attempting to reduce them to their impairment. Journey of the Magi One of the three wise men who travelled to Bethlehem upon the birth of Jesus Christ describes his version of the story and the emotional upheaval he experiences from witnessing a miracle that shatters his previous beliefs and way of life. The Problem With Being a Box Too Small for Its Contents Misch expounds the unbearable work needed after a breakup: to separate from your lost love and “rejoin yourselves…even when you don’t want to.” Guanahani, 11 This bracing ballad (re)considers the beauty and history of the Caribbean island where Christopher Columbus first landed. We Wear the Mask We Wear the Mask is a resilient and entrancing tug-of-war with external perceptions of self. Sweet Like a Crow This tumbling, outrageous list poem is a backhanded ode to a child’s less-than-melodious singing voice. 400: Coming Home You can’t help thinking about your life on a long stretch of highway. Application Form Identity is elusive. Maybe it doesn’t exist at all. The Tyger In the woods at night, the speaker talks to a magical animal… from “Road Shoulders” the shoulder of the road gleams with the poet's attention Where There’s a Wall Both beauty and violence are just on the other side of the wall. grass In his short, funny poem, Ward Maxwell asks us to step on the grass, saying “it deserves it.” But isn’t that the point of grass? The New Experience Join the speaker on a whirlwind journey towards a surprising realization. Reluctance Even after you’ve jumped all the fences, climbed all the hills, and looked at the world, it can be hard to accept how you feel… Pagination 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next › Next page Last » Last page Language English