215 by Duncan Mercredi

215 is a new book from Winnipeg Poet Laureate Duncan Mercredi. It consists of 40 poems written in response to the news of unmarked graves at Indian Residential School sites across the country during the summer of 2021.

The work is rooted in a dark chapter of history, and Mercredi does not mince words. Reflecting on the residential school experience – of the survivors, of those who never went home, and of the families and communities affected, he traces a line between the injustices of the past and the ills of the present. Amid this heaviness are moments of hope and joy, yet with the realization that these can only be realized when we acknowledge the harms of both yesterday and today.

Poet, author, and editor Warren Carriou describes the poems as “…vital songs that speak the pain and the resilience of Indigenous people in a time of devastating revelations. Each word reverberates with raw emotion, a deep sense of solidarity, and hard-earned wisdom. Everyone should read – and re-read – these remarkable poems.”

Published by the Winnipeg Arts Council and beautifully designed by Anishinaabekwe artist Rosalyn Boucha.