[Poetry Friday] Finding One’s Talk Through Poetry

Myra here.

Thank you to Jone at Jone Rush MacCulloch for hosting this week.

I’m Finding My Talk (Amazon | Book Depository)

Words by Rebecca Thomas Illustrated by Pauline Young Published by Nimbus Publishing (2019)
ISBN: 1771088117 (ISBN13: 9781771088114). Bought a copy of the book. Book photos taken by me.

A month ago, we shared Rita Joe’s I Lost My Talk. Rebecca Thomas wrote an ostensibly-companion-poetry-piece with her powerful I’m Finding My Talk illuminated by Pauline Young.

Dedicated to the poet’s father, the Afterword details how Rebecca’s father who went to residential school had difficulties teaching Rebecca about her language and culture because he lost it, similar to Rita Joe’s experience.

Rebecca was in her twenties when she read the poem ‘I Lost My Talk’ by Rita Joe and was struck by how much she could relate to it even though she never spoke the language to begin with. Because not only did the Shubenacadie School take away Rita Joe’s and Rebecca’s father’s talk, they took it away from Rebecca, too.

In each page, Rebecca Thomas shows how she is gradually finding her talk – from honoring her father, to acknowledging the different pieces that make up her nephews and nieces, through every “stitch and seam” of her regalia, and through the words she scribbles on a page and speaking them out loud on a stage.

I hope this book finds its way to you very soon. I also found this Youtube link of Rebecca Thomas reading her poem, I’m Finding My Talk, aloud. Enjoy!

#SurvivalStories2021 Update: 13 out of target 100