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! Parable of the Eagle In this poem, an unlikely guest in the form of an eagle finds itself in a farmer’s hen house, resulting in an unexpected ending. susiya Music binds and refreshes community I’ll Teach You Cree By sharing with us the untranslatable aspects of Cree culture, Scofield immerses the reader with the sensorial experiences that deepen the bonds of community. Sometimes a Voice (1) On a hot summer afternoon, Danny jumped off the boathouse roof without thinking of the consequences. Other In Other, Livesay breaks free of patriarchy’s hold and ventures into landscapes of mountain, cedar forests, night skies, and the fierce interior of her spirit. From One and Half of You Trying on traditional clothing and finding how it fits. Or not. 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. From Red Doc In this poem-as-a-conversation, a man and his mother consider how the past lives on in the present. people arrived Tracing and traveling with Kaie Kellough’s verse, the people in this poem plead to have their pulses read out loud. 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. Laurentian Shield This portrait of a rocky, silent Canadian landscape speaks to the country’s limitations and its potential. Common Magic Do you ever wonder how anything gets done when we’re all swirling in our own galaxies of thought and experience? This poem does too. 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. My Grandmother Washes Her Feet in the Sink of the Bathroom at Sears A clash of cultures in a department store bathroom showcases pride and power in the towns matrons as well as the space in the middle where the speaker lives Fear of Snakes The life of a snake and the memory of girlhood trauma are told in sinuously entwined language. The Potato Harvest This lonely poem is about so much more than a bare field. 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? Salmon Courage Deep bravery can emerge amid clashing familial hopes and truths. M. NourbeSe Philip shows us how. 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. 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. My Papa’s Waltz The poet writes a complex poem about his relationship with his father. For My Best Friend One way to grieve is to give tribute, perhaps even before the person you are grieving is completely gone. Qawanguq with Fox Abigail Chabitnoy’s dreamscape of a poem depicts a coy little fox. Money A museum coin collection prompts a reflection on the captivating nature of currency. Editing the Prairie If the prairie was a written story, imagine the rejection letter it might get! The New Experience Join the speaker on a whirlwind journey towards a surprising realization. Marshlands Quietly pause to take in the colours and sounds of a marsh. 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 Fish A dreamy poem diving into oceanic imagery, exploring time and change. World Town Layers of memory paint a moving, vibrant portrait of one man’s time spent in a seaside town with his father. 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. Guanahani, 11 This bracing ballad (re)considers the beauty and history of the Caribbean island where Christopher Columbus first landed. “Breathe dust…” Nearly punctuation-free, this is a breathless journey through memories of a youth spent in rural Canada. From Correspondences Anne Michaels challenges us to find new maps to think about old experiences. Two Words: A Wedding bpNichol presents life as a river of ever-changing words and asks us to step in. Two Hours on the Train In this deceptively simple poem, a poet on a journey transcends time. The Dead This sonnet considers the fragmented, elusive way the dead resurface in our lives. 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.” At the Centre In this poem of a woman in deep repose, her seeds of self-care begin to blossom. Vancouver Lights This wartime poem looks out at Vancouver’s nighttime skyline and contemplates humanity. Pagination 1 2 3 4 Next › Next page Last » Last page Language English