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! We Wear the Mask We Wear the Mask is a resilient and entrancing tug-of-war with external perceptions of self. Planet Earth P.K. Page sings the praises of planet earth through extended metaphor and delightful constraint. Editing the Prairie If the prairie was a written story, imagine the rejection letter it might get! 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 Bow What flows through a name, and a name, and a name? people arrived Tracing and traveling with Kaie Kellough’s verse, the people in this poem plead to have their pulses read out loud. Application Form Identity is elusive. Maybe it doesn’t exist at all. In Flanders Fields The dead summon us to action in this much-beloved poem of war. I Lost My Talk How can you speak your deepest truth in a language that doesn’t understand you? Two Words: A Wedding bpNichol presents life as a river of ever-changing words and asks us to step in. From Red Doc In this poem-as-a-conversation, a man and his mother consider how the past lives on in the present. 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 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? “Breathe dust…” Nearly punctuation-free, this is a breathless journey through memories of a youth spent in rural Canada. Five Postcards from Jericho Postcards to regret, to time, to anyone at all The New Experience Join the speaker on a whirlwind journey towards a surprising realization. Insomnia A dark, playful twist on what someone would do if they could only sleep… These Poems, She Said Can an argument be the foundation of a love poem? Robert Bringhurst certainly thinks so! susiya Music binds and refreshes community 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 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. Letters In this tender poem tracing a lost love, the speaker holds on by letting things go… Guanahani, 11 This bracing ballad (re)considers the beauty and history of the Caribbean island where Christopher Columbus first landed. Poor Speaker Yep, the speaker gets what you're trying to say Salmon Courage Deep bravery can emerge amid clashing familial hopes and truths. M. NourbeSe Philip shows us how. 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. Two Hours on the Train In this deceptively simple poem, a poet on a journey transcends time. The Tyger In the woods at night, the speaker talks to a magical animal… Vancouver Lights This wartime poem looks out at Vancouver’s nighttime skyline and contemplates humanity. From Correspondences Anne Michaels challenges us to find new maps to think about old experiences. Money A museum coin collection prompts a reflection on the captivating nature of currency. Sometimes a Voice (1) On a hot summer afternoon, Danny jumped off the boathouse roof without thinking of the consequences. The ABG (Able-Bodied Gaze) The abled-bodied gaze is an intrusive force in this poem, making a spectacle of a disabled body and attempting to reduce them to their impairment. dont worry yr hair Having a bad day? This uplifting poem about the power of our inner potential should light a spark. Laurentian Shield This portrait of a rocky, silent Canadian landscape speaks to the country’s limitations and its potential. 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. 400: Coming Home You can’t help thinking about your life on a long stretch of highway. Pale Blue Cover In this nostalgic poem, the speaker reminisces about the author Matt Cohen. My Brother at 3 A.M. A pervasive sense of paranoia threads itself through the quiet night of this poem. 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. Language English