I wrote to my mother, but she didn't write back.
It's not true that you can begin anywhere.
I was born in a church.
I was born in a high-school gymnasium.
I was born in a shoe store during a summer sale.
Any of those could be what I mean / an explanation.
Then the church/school/store closed.
Then I befriended the ants.
Then it was winter and I was alone and being alone took.
Would it be okay if I asked you to write this down?
There were signs my mother had forgotten her best pair of
shoes, but there were also signs she'd stopped wearing them
years ago.
There were signs she had been feeling out of practice.
There were signs I was weakening.
My mother stared into space when ironing, but she didn't complain.
I converted her silence into a boat and seized the oars.
Where are you from? Sue Sinclair questions origin stories and, by proposing contradictory possibilities, opens up a new understanding of identity.
- Although there is only one speaker in this poem, would you want to read the indented stanzas in a different tone from the stanzas that are set flush left? Why or why not? What tone(s) might you imagine using?
- What is the mood of the speaker in this poem? Angry, hurt, puzzled, kidding, ironic? How can you tell?
- The poem closes with the line, “I converted her silence into a boat and seized the oars.” What impact does this final image have on you as a reader? How does it reflect on the relationship between the speaker and the mother? Do you see it as the speaker coming closer to the mother or becoming more alienated from her?
- It is always interesting to consider how pronouns (I, you, he, she, we, they) are used in a poem. While most of the poem uses “I” (speaker) and “she” (mother), stanza five suddenly introduces a “you” into the poem. Who do you think the “you” here is?
- The literary term “indeterminacy” is used to describe a technique or strategy in which more than one response to or interpretation of the work of literature can be valid. Do you find this poem to be indeterminant? Why or why not? How does that affect your enjoyment of it?
Writing activity: Write your own fanciful “origin story.” Follow this poem’s formal patterns by using repeated phrases such “I was born,” “then,” and “there were signs.” Include concrete details that are part of your life history but, in response to this poem, include some that are contradictory and allow the reader to reflect on what is meant to be questioned and what is meant to be considered true.
Useful Links
A review of Sue Sinclair's New-Fangled Rose: https://the-wood-lot.ca/2026/03/23/beauty-the-great-everything-crammed-inside-the-buds-a-review-of-sue-sinclairs-new-fangled-rose-gooselane-editions-spring-2026/
Interview with Sue Sinclair: https://49thshelf.com/Blog/2026/04/17/Celebrating-Poetry-The-Chat-with-Sue-Sinclair
Sue Sinclair, "Notes on Emancipation," originally published in New-Fangled Rose. Goose Lane Editions, 2026. Copyright © 2026 by Sue Sinclair. Reprinted by permission of Goose Lane Editions. For more information, please visit www.gooselane.com.