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! 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. The Fish A dreamy poem diving into oceanic imagery, exploring time and change. How Not to Spill Do you hold your hands shut, or do you let everything spill out? A Breakfast for Barbarians Come sit at this mythical table where guests eat the world’s mysteries for breakfast. a good day The poet recalls the day she heard her father would die. Sometimes a Voice (1) On a hot summer afternoon, Danny jumped off the boathouse roof without thinking of the consequences. The Visions of Stone Carrier In this dreamlike piece exploring memory and primogeniture, N. Scott Momaday casts a haunting spell that transports the reader through mystery and reminiscence. 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.” 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. 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. Northern Light A poem about belonging when one doesn't feel like they are completely at home Qawanguq with Fox Abigail Chabitnoy’s dreamscape of a poem depicts a coy little fox. Someday I’ll Love Ocean Vuong In this tender poem of healing, care and remembrance, Ocean Vuong reaches out to his younger self. “Breathe dust…” Nearly punctuation-free, this is a breathless journey through memories of a youth spent in rural Canada. from “Road Shoulders” the shoulder of the road gleams with the poet's attention Too Negative Have your friends’ parents ever warned them away from you because they thought you were a bad influence? “Too Negative” is a poem about that experience. from Cross River . Pick Lotus Sometimes a simple wish granted, especially a final one, can change everything. Regardless This vibrant list poem celebrates the right to just Be. Jesse’s Farm Sadiqa de Meijer reckons with environmental degradation and motherhood in this poem that asks whether showing our children “the beloved world” is enough. Insomnia A dark, playful twist on what someone would do if they could only sleep… The Bull Moose A moose's final, tortured moments unfold in a series of brutal images. The New Experience Join the speaker on a whirlwind journey towards a surprising realization. from Exhibits from the American Water Museum Natalie Diaz mourns the violence committed against the Mojave people (and by extension, Indigenous people across North America) and bodies of water, inextricably connected 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. Application Form Identity is elusive. Maybe it doesn’t exist at all. Planet Earth P.K. Page sings the praises of planet earth through extended metaphor and delightful constraint. susiya Music binds and refreshes community Where There’s a Wall Both beauty and violence are just on the other side of the wall. Tide Both stark and tender, this poem is about Reena Virk, a BC teen of South Asian descent who was assaulted and murdered by her peers in 1997. I saw a perfect tree today Lillian Allen praises the rampant diversity of trees in Northern Ontario and asks us to see perfection in difference. La Belle Dame sans Merci: A Ballad What would you ask a knight if you found him alone and palely loitering along a barren path? Thou Poem A poet reveals the happiest and unhappiest parts of their poetry – in conversation with a poem. Picking Up a Dandelion A short and poignant poem, stretching out a brief moment of beauty. Pale Blue Cover In this nostalgic poem, the speaker reminisces about the author Matt Cohen. Guanahani, 11 This bracing ballad (re)considers the beauty and history of the Caribbean island where Christopher Columbus first landed. The Potato Harvest This lonely poem is about so much more than a bare field. sturgeon Intense with empathy, the poem places poet and struggling fish in direct physical relation. Salmon Courage Deep bravery can emerge amid clashing familial hopes and truths. M. NourbeSe Philip shows us how. 400: Coming Home You can’t help thinking about your life on a long stretch of highway. 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. Pagination 1 2 3 4 Next › Next page Last » Last page Language English