Guyleigh Johnson: So then where do you go when you’re broke and broken?
Proud and happy to publish this poem and essay on being Black and unemployed, by the very talented Guyleigh Johnson.
Poetry
Rebecca Thomas: For all the women out there who were never believed
One of several very powerful moments at the Halifax Women’s March was Mi’kmaq woman, activist, and poet Rebecca Thomas’ performance of For all the women out there who were never believed. Here it is, re- published with her kind permission.
Weekend video: Rita Joe song project – Gentle Warrior
With some footage of Mi’kmaw poet and elder Rita Joe herself, we are delighted to present this wonderful musical interpretation by students of the Allison Bernard Memorial High School in Eskasoni of what is probably Rita Joe’s best known poem, I lost my talk.
Women’s rally: some photos and an El Jones poem on women’s lives in poverty
As a bit of a follow-up on last winter’s very successful Women’s March on Washington here in Halifax about three hundred women and allies gathered at Province House today at noon to remind the world they’re still here. We hope to do a bit more on today’s rally, but for now, here are a couple of photos, and El Jones’ contribution, on Nova Scotia’s women who live in poverty, published with her kind permission.
The day that she goes missing nobody will respond. A poem by El Jones
A new poem by El Jones. TRIGGER WARNING: 80-90 percent of women in prison are victims of physical and sexual assault. Yet because they are “criminals” what happens to them at the hands of the system must be something they deserve. When we talk about injustice to rape victims in Canadian courts where are their stories?
Weekend video: El Jones’ We will stop Alton Gas, the movie
Earlier this year the Nova Scotia Advocate was proud and excited to publish El Jones’ We will stop Alton Gas, right after her reading at a fundraiser for the fearless Alton Gas resisters. Now we bring you Stop Alton Gas, the movie, spoken by El Jones, wonderfully animated by Rachel Derrah and filmed by Izrael Media Arts. Check it out!
We will stop Alton Gas. A new poem by El Jones
This wonderful new poem by Halifax spoken word poet, activist and teacher El Jones was performed tonight at the fundraiser held at the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre in Halifax, for the fearless land and river defenders who are resisting Alton Gas.
night cemetery, a poem by Robin Metcalfe
This weekend’s poem, night cemetery by Robin Metcalfe, was inspired by the ghastly murder of John William Tha Din in 1988 in the Halifax Camp Hill Cemetery, a well known gay cruising area at the time. It’s from Writing the Common, a wonderful collection of poems about the Halifax Commons by a great bunch of local poets, published in 2013, by Gaspereau Press.
Grass of the Commons, a poem by David Huebert
This week we feature a poem by David Huebert about the colonization of the Halifax Commons. April was poetry month, and we managed to not publish one single poem. But never mind, it’s May, and we have another poetic surprise planned for next weekend.
Distraction poem, by Alice Burdick
We are delighted to present South Shore poet Alice Burdick’s Distraction poem, about Facebook, cats, crow videos and more.