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! 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. 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.” 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. 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. 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 knowing Connie Fife cryptically combines land and body in this poem exploring connection to place and past. 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 Vancouver Lights This wartime poem looks out at Vancouver’s nighttime skyline and contemplates humanity. Modestine A woman writes a tender poem about her dad’s struggle with dementia. Sometimes a Voice (1) On a hot summer afternoon, Danny jumped off the boathouse roof without thinking of the consequences. 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 Bow What flows through a name, and a name, and a name? “Breathe dust…” Nearly punctuation-free, this is a breathless journey through memories of a youth spent in rural Canada. Editing the Prairie If the prairie was a written story, imagine the rejection letter it might get! At the Centre In this poem of a woman in deep repose, her seeds of self-care begin to blossom. from “Road Shoulders” the shoulder of the road gleams with the poet's attention Homage to the Mineral of the Onion (I) Could a vegetable be the antidote to war? This poem thinks so. The Blue Guitar In this glosa poem, P.K. Page strums out questions about being an artist and telling the truth. What Is Poetry Using only the letters in the title’s question, Holbrook generates a smorgasbord of weird and delightful answers. 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. My Brother at 3 A.M. A pervasive sense of paranoia threads itself through the quiet night of this poem. The New Experience Join the speaker on a whirlwind journey towards a surprising realization. The Days of the Unicorns Phyllis Webb beautifully writes an ode to the majestic unicorn. 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 We Wear the Mask We Wear the Mask is a resilient and entrancing tug-of-war with external perceptions of self. The Bull Moose A moose's final, tortured moments unfold in a series of brutal images. 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? Two Words: A Wedding bpNichol presents life as a river of ever-changing words and asks us to step in. Salmon Courage Deep bravery can emerge amid clashing familial hopes and truths. M. NourbeSe Philip shows us how. Weed Killer Fiona Tinwei Lam moves from personal to universal and back to the personal in this chilling poem about the ecological destruction bequeathed from one generation to the next. 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. My Poem Without Me in It Imagining herself removed from her own poem, a poet realizes how poetry gives her the space to create herself. Low Tide on Grand Pré The setting sun gives rise to a treasured memory of Grand Pré in this somber, rhythmic poem. 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. Marshlands Quietly pause to take in the colours and sounds of a marsh. 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. Community Garden Seeking to escape internet trolls the speaker turns her eye to the garden 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… I Have Something to Tell You In this surreal poem, a man made of cameras brings his unexpected concerns into sharper focus. the ghosts of women once girls Poet Aja Monet reveals both gladness and sadness from a little girl enraptured by literature. 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