Scars and Stars: Poems

I have been a fan of Jesse Thistle's since reading his memoir, From The Ashes in July 2020. Within the pages of his life story, he included some of the poetry he had written throughout his life. His latest book, Scars & Stars is a unique blend of poetry and storytelling.

Poetry is beautiful, cathartic and a creative outlet for many but it is not a genre that I have been drawn to as a reader. However, after reading this book I may have to rethink my feelings about poetry. 

Thistle uses his poetry as a creative outlet but also a way for him to make the physical and emotional scars he's accumulated more bearable. Last night I attended an event for him at a local library. With humour, candor and vulnerability, he shared the impact poetry has had on his life and how it continues to help him deal with the physical and emotional scars from addiction, physical injury, homelessness and reconnecting with his Metis-Cree heritage. 

There are also poems in the collection that are an ode to the two most important women in his life - his wife Lucie and their 1-year-old daughter Rose. The beautiful and heartfelt way Jesse spoke of his wife elicited wistful sighs from the audience and I'm sure many (like myself) headed home in the hopes that their spouse had a hidden cache of poems.

Being interviewed by author/poet Tanis MacDonald

Book signing and meeting the author

You don't have to be a poetry aficionado to enjoy this beautiful collection of poems about life's struggles, joys and everything in between. And while it isn't necessary to read From the Ashes beforehand, I think readers will get more out of Scars & Stars if they have read Jesse's memoir ahead of time. 

My Rating: 5 stars

Author: Jesse Thistle

Genre: Poetry, Canadian, Indigenous

Type and Source: Hardcover from public library

Publisher: McClelland and Stewart

First Published: October 18, 2022

Book Description from GoodReads: A beautiful and moving collection of poems and stories from the author of the #1 bestselling memoir From the Ashes.

Fans of Jesse Thistle's extraordinary debut From the Ashes have already had the pleasure of reading his poetry, which is sprinkled throughout this bestselling memoir. In Scars and Stars, he digs deeper into the poetic form, which is especially close to his heart.

Charting his own history, the stories of people from his past, the burning intensity of new and unexpected love, the complex legacies of family and community, and the beauty of parenthood, this collection is a profound mediation that expands his engagement with the ideas and experiences that have shaped his body of work thus far.

Throughout the collection, prose pieces complement the poems, and to bring readers into Jesse's life with greater intimacy than ever before. The result is an unforgettable furthering of his singular story, one that is sure to delight his many readers, but also serve as a perfect entry point for those new to the work of one of our most thrilling and honest writers.