by Katherena Vermette
side a: 1. 18 and Life her friend takes her to the guidance counselor she doesn’t see the point but her friend won’t go without her 2. Patience the dining room table stacked with papers her brother’s face on all of them like labels on cans of soup 3. Long Cold Winter his football team organizes a search party scruffy boys in orange jerseys climb snow banks along the river north all the way to lockport 4. Without You she is as still as silence jolts every time the phone rings 5. More than Words the family sliced into wedges like pie 6. Don’t Know What You Got the cold wet quiet when everyone else leaves side b: 7. Nothing Else Matters the family goes to two psychics and an elder 8. Every Rose has Its Thorn one says he will call soon one says he is dead one says he is traveling north 9. What You Give words evaporate condense in the air drip down walls 10. Don’t Cry her stepfather tells everyone his son is dead and he isn’t going to look anymore 11. Home Sweet Home her mother moves wide and slow almost imperceptible limbs floating as if in water 12. November Rain the girl walks under winter naked elms such a cold november a season warmer than her house Katherena Vermette, “mixed tape” from from North End Love Songs. Copyright © 2012 by Katherena Vermette. Reprinted by permission of the author. Source: North End Love Songs (The Muses Company, 2012) Dive in: 1. How does the structure of a mixed tape work to tell this poem’s story? 2. How does “side a” differ in tone from “side b”? 3. What images does the poet use to capture the cold atmosphere following the brother’s disappearance? 4. How are the relationships among the family members described? 5. If you were going to recite this poem, how would you voice its short lines? Where and for how long would you pause? 6. Write a poem using song titles to tell a story. Useful Links Check out Katherena Vermette’s website: http://www.katherenavermette.com/ Watch Katherena Vermette talk about her poetry after her first book won the Governor General’s Award: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyNJSfpkkBQ
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