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! Guanahani, 11 This bracing ballad (re)considers the beauty and history of the Caribbean island where Christopher Columbus first landed. Death of a Young Son by Drowning Blurring time but clarifying feeling, this poem gives voice to a mother who loses a son and gains a country. the knowing Connie Fife cryptically combines land and body in this poem exploring connection to place and past. Sometimes a Voice (1) On a hot summer afternoon, Danny jumped off the boathouse roof without thinking of the consequences. Opus 75, Sestina in B-flat for the Glockenspiel A silent glockenspiel plays out a teenage girl’s anxieties about growing up and fitting in. Plenty Who would have thought a trip to the grocery store could be so full of beauty? Editing the Prairie If the prairie was a written story, imagine the rejection letter it might get! from “Road Shoulders” the shoulder of the road gleams with the poet's attention Before the Birth of One of Her Children This frank, devout poem confronts the risks facing a 17th-century woman in childbirth. Dulce et Decorum Est Wilfred Owen brilliantly uses rhyme and meter in this brutal poem about a poison gas attack during WWI. 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? Marshlands Quietly pause to take in the colours and sounds of a marsh. Planet Earth P.K. Page sings the praises of planet earth through extended metaphor and delightful constraint. An Innocent Little Girl • Favzieh Rahgozar Barlas captures a snapshot of child marriage, its cultural and economic context, and its physical and emotional aftermath. At the Centre In this poem of a woman in deep repose, her seeds of self-care begin to blossom. i am graffiti This poem vibrates with anger and defiance in the wake of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. 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… 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. from Cross River . Pick Lotus Sometimes a simple wish granted, especially a final one, can change everything. aubade for the BPD subreddit user who wrote can people with BPD love? The stunningly cruel comments of an internet forum reverberate throughout a sleepless night Money A museum coin collection prompts a reflection on the captivating nature of currency. Famous In Famous, Naomi Nye speaks to the relationship between objects and the ideas they represent. She is as famous to the poem as the poem is famous its words. fluorine Rita Wong uncovers the poisons in everyday life to teach us about our relationship to the natural world. Fear of Snakes The life of a snake and the memory of girlhood trauma are told in sinuously entwined language. The Trick The body and the mind are intimately linked and cannot be divorced from each other. The Days of the Unicorns Phyllis Webb beautifully writes an ode to the majestic unicorn. Salmon Courage Deep bravery can emerge amid clashing familial hopes and truths. M. NourbeSe Philip shows us how. Community Garden Seeking to escape internet trolls the speaker turns her eye to the garden April 30, 2014 One spring day, dreading an afternoon appointment that will dredge up all kinds of terrible memories, the speaker of the poem focuses on the natural world around her. We Wear the Mask We Wear the Mask is a resilient and entrancing tug-of-war with external perceptions of self. 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.” Northern Light A poem about belonging when one doesn't feel like they are completely at home The Fish A dreamy poem diving into oceanic imagery, exploring time and change. Full Metal Oji-Cree That’s ok, our robomocassins will outlive you nine times over. World Town Layers of memory paint a moving, vibrant portrait of one man’s time spent in a seaside town with his father. The Blue Guitar In this glosa poem, P.K. Page strums out questions about being an artist and telling the truth. 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.” “Breathe dust…” Nearly punctuation-free, this is a breathless journey through memories of a youth spent in rural Canada. 1992 Sometimes a scent or a site or a taste can sweep you up into the past. This finely honed narrative poem knows what that’s like. susiya Music binds and refreshes community Pagination 1 2 3 4 Next › Next page Last » Last page Language English