Passage | 
pickWith each section named after a different Great Lake, it was impossible for me not to relate (I grew up a bike ride away from Erie, and did family holiday stuff at the other lakes, I have always lived in SW Ontario where I am basically between the lakes). Benaway is such a talented poet, and I love her work, and this collection is especially fabulous. I believe she has another some upcoming work, and I cant wait to read more from her.
pickI'm compulsively rereading Gwen Benaway's poetry, trying to come up with a coherent review, getting sucked back into the words yet again. Powerful words about all kinds of passages: childhood into adulthood; abuse into healing; city life into wilderness; coupledom to single; male to female. Outstanding #queer #poetry!
It's my promise,
an oath to the land,
to bear my wrecking with a certain grace.
not the grace of trees,
the smooth breasted laughter of bluejays,
but the grace of mollusks:
bottom feeder, black rimmed,
sharp under foot, slit mouthed,
small and as inescapable
as hunger.
"If the lake could write poetry, this collection would be it." I agree with this beautiful cover blurb description by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson. All five of the Great Lakes are represented within, so it is an easy one for @RealLifeReading 's #bodiesofwater prompt.
what I want
is a discovery of trees
in April's sudden warmth,
to bud at a glance,
my soft green lashes
threading in temporary wonder.
Final total for the #Readathon is: 4 books, 969 pages! Pretty good considering I took 3 hours off to go to a party and one of my books was 600 pages long! I also made it from 6am to almost 4am! And now off to bed.
pickA gorgeous, lyrical collection of poems structured in sections about each of the Great Lakes. Benaway uses everyday language, lulling you into thinking the poems are less complex than they actually are. Some tough topics in here like abuse & suicide but also beautiful moments describing land, water, and their healing powers. The complexities, joys, & pain of relationships, trans/gender, & sex are also a focus. #Poetry #NativeReads #TransBooks
Just leaving work at the library and going to be reading this book of #poetry on the bus. Can you see the snowy mountains in the background? North Van is so pretty! #NativeReads
Being forced from your rural hometown because of homo/transphobia. #Poetry #QueerBooks
Starting this poetry collection by Metis and Anishinaabe two-spirit writer Gwen Benaway. My friend offered to lend it to me and so I am breaking my book challenge this year of only reading print books that I already own because I just wanted to read it so bad! #NativeReads #QueerBooks
#LitsyAtoZ #LetterB #queerbooks #transbooks #Nativebooks This is a lovely collection of poetry. Each chapter is named for one of the Great Lakes and reflects on each lake. It's a raw and honest exploration of gender transition, love, loss, identity, childhood trauma and nature. Beautiful, hard at times and powerful. #poetry
These are the four amazing trans women of colour who performed tonight at the launch for Gwen Benaway's new poetry collection "Passage"! Gwen Benaway, Jia Qing Yang, Vivek Shraya and Kai Chang Thom all read from their books. Amazing evening! #transbooks #nativereads #diversebooks
Book launch at Glad Day Books (Toronto's Queer Bookstore) for Gwen Benaway's poetry book "Passage". Four trans women of colour did powerful readings from their books. What an amazing event! #transbooks #nativebooks #diversebooks
