Welcome to the Nature Up Bookshelf:
river woman by katherena vermette
November 2021’s discussion book
river woman by katherena vermette
About the book: “Governor General’s Award–winning Métis poet and acclaimed novelist Katherena Vermette’s second work of poetry, river woman, examines and celebrates love as postcolonial action. Here love is defined as a force of reclamation and repair in times of trauma, and trauma is understood to exist within all times. The poems are grounded in what feels like an eternal present, documenting moments of clarity that lift the speaker (and reader) out of our preconceptions of historical time, while never losing a connection to history. This is what we mean when we describe a work of art as being ‘timeless.’” Learn more on the river woman website.
Why Carolyn picked this book to feature:
I have read this book three times, and each time I uncover a new layer - I learn something new. katherena vermette’s short poems may seem simple, but they speak volumes. She paints rich pictures of the river, the land that holds her, and the people and wildlife that live with her. The personification of the river gives her a voice, and helps you connect with her. This collection of poems holds beautiful emotions - love for a river and a People, pain, remorse, and regret over what might have been. Hope for the future. Reading this powerful book as a white woman, and knowing that my ancestors caused so much of this pain just emphasizes how important all of our choices and voices are. We need to be better ancestors.
Quote we love:
From ziibiwan (like a river)
[in this poem, she=the river]
4.
near the lake
the locks comb her
out she roaras
over them
insulted
to be so
encumbered
beyond them
she stretches out
into the grassland
marshes
pelicans rest
gulls call
to her slowing
spirit
if you only knew her
up here
you’d think she was at peace
Video of an interview/conversation with the author, approximately 1 hour long. (Canadian Women’s Foundation)
Bookshelf Artwork by Green Sparrow Arts
