A THEORY OF ABSENCE
The bent gardener and the garden, two congruent arcs
curve with date-palm tension – one always shielding the small
curve with date-palm tension – one always shielding the small
of our backs, exchanging water. Can there be growth
without visitation, where gaps in home stories shed?
without visitation, where gaps in home stories shed?
Morning prayers linger in Arab neighbourhood, curious
dreams from childhood. You hid depression in black dress
dreams from childhood. You hid depression in black dress
& foreign niqābs, but home undressed you without
sound or silence, only a thin white noise. We had grown
sound or silence, only a thin white noise. We had grown
accustomed to it all: set static, cicadas droning daily, dawn chants.
Sorrow was just another vibration to the body.
Sorrow was just another vibration to the body.
I drew a picture of the twin towers – this startled you. We were
on the wrong side of the oceans & dad couldn’t
on the wrong side of the oceans & dad couldn’t
make it back in time for this reason so I assume he said
goodbye over the telephone but never ask; grief channelled
goodbye over the telephone but never ask; grief channelled
through machine cedes rhythm. You fold a sheet
in half gently & stick a pencil through to demonstrate.
in half gently & stick a pencil through to demonstrate.
Two halves meet in the middle, two blood bodies in one place,
stranded on surface skin. If only we could decypher wormholes
stranded on surface skin. If only we could decypher wormholes
I would have stayed among the short shadows & sand
to lengthen the words of care we harvested.
to lengthen the words of care we harvested.
Some days I would nakedly play in the sunstroked
garden, I remember this much, while you
garden, I remember this much, while you
carried branches of red acacia in & out of the house
with lightened face. It rained once a year – you spent it smiling.
with lightened face. It rained once a year – you spent it smiling.
I’ve been asked Do you only write about your mother?
That’s inaccurate. I only write about absence & sometimes
That’s inaccurate. I only write about absence & sometimes
when the day splits I sit with you on the country’s bare back
& watch the children play with air.
& watch the children play with air.
First published in CV2 vol. 46 no. 2 (2023)
L'Aube
Everyone is in anguish about the trees.
The mountain pine beetle and western gall rust,
a deadly one-two punch, keeps gaining ground and,
of course, the warming winters aren’t helping.
I go through a few late-night Google benders
learning as much as I can about the threats:
the latest projections, accounted losses, potential
counter-measures. I call my sister—we discuss
summer plans and helping our parents move homes
to be closer to family, except me, who decided
he belonged on the coast—no, not the near one.
There’s increasing evidence about mycorrhizal
networks transferring information from one plant
to another, telephone lines for trees, if you will,
but some biologists are skeptical. Attends, I say,
j’vais trouver le mot en français. I picture her
spinning in her chair with a child folded into chest
chest and the flash is a future is a certainty
that she would be a good mother, then find the word
hooked to my stomach on a line leading east.
The mountain pine beetle and western gall rust,
a deadly one-two punch, keeps gaining ground and,
of course, the warming winters aren’t helping.
I go through a few late-night Google benders
learning as much as I can about the threats:
the latest projections, accounted losses, potential
counter-measures. I call my sister—we discuss
summer plans and helping our parents move homes
to be closer to family, except me, who decided
he belonged on the coast—no, not the near one.
There’s increasing evidence about mycorrhizal
networks transferring information from one plant
to another, telephone lines for trees, if you will,
but some biologists are skeptical. Attends, I say,
j’vais trouver le mot en français. I picture her
spinning in her chair with a child folded into chest
chest and the flash is a future is a certainty
that she would be a good mother, then find the word
hooked to my stomach on a line leading east.
First published in Polyphony: Encore Poetry Project Anthology (2023)
CARAPACE
A boy was pulled from the fishnets today
alongside the trout. Small. Rigid. Skin opaled, dusk
coloured. Blind marks of violence. Abnormal catch.
alongside the trout. Small. Rigid. Skin opaled, dusk
coloured. Blind marks of violence. Abnormal catch.
The body was displayed facedown and naked
on the summer sand while the men arranged
the fish into groupings depending on their size,
discarding the odd bycatches. Crabs, catfish, even a sizeable
hammerhead were thrown back into the bullied sea.
Vessels docked, men and women circled the body.
on the summer sand while the men arranged
the fish into groupings depending on their size,
discarding the odd bycatches. Crabs, catfish, even a sizeable
hammerhead were thrown back into the bullied sea.
Vessels docked, men and women circled the body.
A later autopsy discovered kitchen knife cuts
beneath the jawline on each side. Gills. Everything
below the waist was gone, presumably eaten, but the salt
had mended the ripped flesh over time;
when first observed, it was as if the boy were born without legs.
beneath the jawline on each side. Gills. Everything
below the waist was gone, presumably eaten, but the salt
had mended the ripped flesh over time;
when first observed, it was as if the boy were born without legs.
Rumours spread like algae in the seaside town. One
claimed his penis had been severed and found on a cliff
that overlooked the rocky bay. He had cut his long
hair and mailed strands to every neighbouring girl
with a note asking they be worn daily. A plea,
some figured. He was found wearing his mother’s clothes.
claimed his penis had been severed and found on a cliff
that overlooked the rocky bay. He had cut his long
hair and mailed strands to every neighbouring girl
with a note asking they be worn daily. A plea,
some figured. He was found wearing his mother’s clothes.
At the burial, local fishermen brought starfish
casting them into the ground above the casket.
An absent father & brother, both busy at the height of
the fishing season.
There were no eulogies, no obituary in the paper. Only
a wanted ad: Pair of legs, sex attached. Reward offered.
casting them into the ground above the casket.
An absent father & brother, both busy at the height of
the fishing season.
There were no eulogies, no obituary in the paper. Only
a wanted ad: Pair of legs, sex attached. Reward offered.
The news saddened me at first. A kid at school.
Often dreamt of mermaids.
First published in yolk issue 2.2 (2022)
Often dreamt of mermaids.
First published in yolk issue 2.2 (2022)
THE LOBSTER
Shortlisted for the Malahat Review Long Poem Prize (2023)
Shortlisted for the Malahat Review Long Poem Prize (2023)
Articles (click to open)
Audet, Jeremy. “Lessons learned from the inaugural Inclusive Teaching Initiative.” McGill Reporter, 2 November 2023. https://reporter.mcgill.ca/lessons-learned-from-the-inaugural-inclusive-teaching-initiative/
—. “McGill and Royal Norwegian Embassy co-host Arctic Frontiers conference.” McGill Reporter, 1 June 2023.
—. “Evolutionary biologist Graham Bell resitres.” Mcgill Reporter, 31 May 2023.
—. “McGill takes part in 24 Hours of Science.” McGill Reporter, 17 May 2023.
—. “Researchers develop nanosponges using ‘hairy’ nanocellulose as sustainable alternative for drug delivery.” Mcgill.ca, 11 May 2023.
—. “Redpath Museum celebrates Earth Day.” McGill Reporter, 2 May 2023.
—. “Department of Chemistry signs the Green Chemistry Commitment.” McGill Reporter, 12 April 2023.
—. “Hundreds gather for Undergraduate Poster Showcase.: McGill Reporter, 28 March 2023.
—. “Connecting students with researchers through soup.” McGill Reporter, 20 March 2023.
—. “L’espoir en pleine crise climatique.” McGill dans la ville, 15 March 2023.
—. “Teaching hope during the climate crisis.” McGill Reporter, 8 February 2023.
—. “Community celebrates Redpath’s reopening.” McGill Reporter, 25 January 2023.
—. “Visualizing the ancient Maya over thousands of years.” McGill Reporter, 14 November 2022.
—. “Video marks launch of Department of Biology outreach campaign.” McGill Reporter, 13 October 2022.
—. “Fifth annual Take Back The Night protest soars.” The Campus, 6 December 2021, pp. 1
—. “Sam McKegney to present at Ogden Glass Lecture.” The Campus, 16 November 2021, pp. 9
—. “The Donald Lecture Series hosts Jane Goodall.” The Campus, 15 March 2021, pp. 8
—. “Spectrum: a safe space for all genders.” The Campus, 15 March 2021, pp. 8.
—. “Equity, diversity, and inclusion at Bishop’s.” The Campus, 12 February 2021, pp. 8
—. “Take Back The Night organizes their third annual march.” The Campus, 23 November 2020, pp. 3
—. “Women in Muslim-Arab societies: a lecture by Dr. Osire Glacier.” The Campus, 23 November 2020, pp. 8
—. “Take Back The Night hosts 2nd annual forum.” The Campus, 9 November 2020, pp. 3
—. “Take Back The Night: marching for change.” The Campus, 13 November 2019, pp. 2