Family History

Abigail Chabitnoy

Only the beginning is true.

There was an island

and an orphanage

and a boy.

There was a train and a country

to cross.

There was just a boy.

They took his words from him.

There was just a boy

and they took from him his words

so he could not speak with others

so he could not know there were others

so he was just a boy

We know there was a boy

alone.

Can I say these things if I am not that boy?

I don't know that boy

—that is—

I never spoke to that boy?

We must take our ears

seriously.

Abigail Chabitnoy

In How to Dress a Fish, her debut collection of poetry, Abigail Chabitnoy combines archival documents with the experiences of her great-grandfather…

Grade levels

7-9 / Sec. 1-3

Emily Brontë

Shall earth no more inspire thee

Shall earth no more inspire thee,

Thou lonely dreamer now?

Since passion may not fire thee

Charles Sangster

Sonnet VII from ‘Sonnets Written in the Orillia Woods’

Our life is like a forest, where the sun

Glints down upon us through the throbbing leaves;

…

Robert Herrick

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

Gather ye rose-buds while ye may,

Old Time is still a-flying;

And this same flower that smiles today

Kaie Kellough

Mantra of No Return

my mother occupies the passenger seat. my brother and i

stick in the back.

#readpoetry

Abigail Chabitnoy

Abigail Chabitnoy

Emily Brontë

Shall earth no more inspire thee

Charles Sangster

Sonnet VII from ‘Sonnets Written in the Orillia Woods’

Robert Herrick

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

Kaie Kellough

Mantra of No Return

ALL POEMS