Close By

Close By captures the intimate voice that made E. Pauline Johnson one of North America's most celebrated early poets. Born to a Mohawk mother and English father, Johnson crafted verses that moved between worlds, and this poem exemplifies her unique gift: precise, musical language that draws the reader into a moment of closeness, whether to a person, a place, or a memory. The poem's power lies in its restraint and its connection to the natural world, two hallmarks of Johnson's work that emerged from her deep familiarity with the lands along the Grand River where she grew up. Johnson performed these poems across Canada and England, audiences transfixed by her ability to speak from a place of dual inheritance without ever sacrificing her voice. This recording brings her words to new ears, preserving a poetic sensibility that remains startlingly fresh over a century later. For readers seeking early Indigenous literature, Canadian poetry, or voices that bridge cultural worlds, Close By offers a window into a remarkable artistic mind.