Forest Songs
by Corri Daniels
Wind twirls and whistles
in fir and pine
Carrying cold whispers up
to those who listen
Giants with skin of bark
arms of poplar reach
and scratch old grandfather trees backside
and
their toes under moss
wiggle and touch
to warn when birds swoop in
gathering on branches
stretched out like arms
suddenly a choir song
with jubilant voices
unbroken notes in harmony
float way up to the
rain makers and star holders
who grasp onto them and
transform songs into tears.
Corri Daniels is a Plains Cree sixties scoop survivor from George Gordon First Nation in Treaty 4 territory north of Regina, Saskatchewan. She was born and raised in Calgary Alberta.
In 2017, Corri was longlisted for the CBC Short Story prize for the short story titled “Sweet Grass Spirits”.
She was recently chosen for the Emerging Indigenous Writers Reading Series in Toronto last year, but was unable to attend. Corri was also recently asked to open and read her short story for Daniel Heath Justice at his book launch at Laurier in 2018.
Her poem “A Memory of Mary,” has recently been shortlisted for the 2020 Indigenous Voices Awards (IVAs) in the category of Unpublished Poetry.
Corri takes creative writing classes at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo Ontario where she currently holds the role of Indigenous Events Support Coordinator at Laurier’s Indigenous Student Centre. She loves her husband, her 2 daughters, 4 bonus kids, 2 dogs and a grand puppy. Corri lives with her husband Pete in St. Clements, Ontario.
Twitter: @corridaniels
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