Janet Marie Rogers
A Mohawk writer from the Six Nations territory in southern Ontario, Janet was born in Vancouver British Columbia January 29th 1963. She began her creative career as a visual artist, and started writing in 1996.
Since then, she continues to stretch her abilities as a writer working and studying in the genres of poetry, short fiction, science fiction, play writing, spoken word performance poetry and video poetry.
Her literary passions are her native heritage, feminism, historical territories, human love, sexuality and spirit. Janet has many anthology credits as a writer and receives many invitations to share her performance poetry all over North America. Her most recent accomplishments include the creation of a video poem entitled “Rightful Place” and hosting Victoria’s only native radio program every Tuesday at 2:30pm on CFUV 101.9fm called “Native Waves.”
Books (2)
Synopsis:
Mohawk spoken-word artist Janet Marie Rogers's newest collection pulses with the rhythms of the drum and the beat of the heart. Poems drawing on the language of the earth and inflected with the outspoken vocality of activism address the crises of modern "land wars"-environmental destruction, territorial disputes, and resource depletion.
Synopsis:
Totem Poles and Railroads succinctly defines the 500-year-old relationship between Indigenous nations and the corporation of Canada. In this, her fifth poetry collection, Janet Rogers' expands on that definition with a playful, culturally powerful and, at times, experimental voice. She pays honour to her poetic characters--real and imagined, historical and present day -- from Sacajawea to Nina Simone. Placing poetry at the centre of our current post-residential school/present-day reconciliation reality, Rogers' poems are expansive and intimate, challenging, thought-provoking and always personal.
Reviews
"To give Rogers’ poems a form, a body, I would have to name them blackbirds, formidable winged creatures who’ve chosen the highest branch and whose eyes allow us the vision we so often cannot see ourselves. I’m honoured to be called into this ceremony, sung awake by her prayers. Praise for Totem Poles and Railroads." —Gregory Scofield, author of Witness, I am
"These new poems by Janet Rogers are a straight shot metaphysical call to action in the wake of historical trauma, police violence, shameful treatment of our body Earth. They stand as urgent witness, clear talk in the face of colonized law built on lies. Rogers reminds us to pay attention, to listen. These words can heal." —Joy Harjo
"Janet Rogers’ latest book Totem Poles and Railroads doesn’t pull any punches. All of the stinging and difficult realities of colonialism are confronted head-on and with ferocity. Rogers is here to disrupt these white landscapes. Rogers is here to call out all of the bullshit both past and present. Totem Poles and Railroads is burning to be read." —Jordan Abel, Nisga’a Nation, author of Injun
Educator Information
This book would be useful for courses in creative writing, English, and language arts for students in grades 11 and 12 and those at a university/college level.
Additional Information
168 pages | 6.00" x 9.00"
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