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! Before the Birth of One of Her Children This frank, devout poem confronts the risks facing a 17th-century woman in childbirth. My sister cries the sea In this poem of environmental apocalypse, Mordecai pictures a divided planet as her sister, listening to the voices of plants and fish as they mourn habitat destruction in creole The Dead This sonnet considers the fragmented, elusive way the dead resurface in our lives. 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. 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. from “Road Shoulders” the shoulder of the road gleams with the poet's attention Two Words: A Wedding bpNichol presents life as a river of ever-changing words and asks us to step in. I Lost My Talk How can you speak your deepest truth in a language that doesn’t understand you? 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 Community Garden Seeking to escape internet trolls the speaker turns her eye to the garden 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. Regardless This vibrant list poem celebrates the right to just Be. 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 Salmon Courage Deep bravery can emerge amid clashing familial hopes and truths. M. NourbeSe Philip shows us how. In Flanders Fields The dead summon us to action in this much-beloved poem of war. Pale Blue Cover In this nostalgic poem, the speaker reminisces about the author Matt Cohen. the knowing Connie Fife cryptically combines land and body in this poem exploring connection to place and past. The Fish A dreamy poem diving into oceanic imagery, exploring time and change. From Correspondences Anne Michaels challenges us to find new maps to think about old experiences. Marshlands Quietly pause to take in the colours and sounds of a marsh. Sometimes a Voice (1) On a hot summer afternoon, Danny jumped off the boathouse roof without thinking of the consequences. 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. Homage to the Mineral of the Onion (I) Could a vegetable be the antidote to war? This poem thinks so. A Breakfast for Barbarians Come sit at this mythical table where guests eat the world’s mysteries for breakfast. Plenty Who would have thought a trip to the grocery store could be so full of beauty? How Not to Spill Do you hold your hands shut, or do you let everything spill out? Modestine A woman writes a tender poem about her dad’s struggle with dementia. Picking Up a Dandelion A short and poignant poem, stretching out a brief moment of beauty. These Poems, She Said Can an argument be the foundation of a love poem? Robert Bringhurst certainly thinks so! The New Experience Join the speaker on a whirlwind journey towards a surprising realization. susiya Music binds and refreshes community Mantra of No Return It is possible to travel home when one has never been there. This poem does. The Days of the Unicorns Phyllis Webb beautifully writes an ode to the majestic unicorn. The Bull Moose A moose's final, tortured moments unfold in a series of brutal images. Last Visit This poem invites you to discover the forms that outrage can take. 400: Coming Home You can’t help thinking about your life on a long stretch of highway. 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.” 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. Dulce et Decorum Est Wilfred Owen brilliantly uses rhyme and meter in this brutal poem about a poison gas attack during WWI. 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.” Pagination 1 2 3 4 Next › Next page Last » Last page Language English