Guernica Editions

Hélène Monette and Jo-Anne Elder (Translator)

Hélène Monette wrote this book to honour her sister Thérèse, who passed away in 2005. True to her sister's vision, the poet explores the wonder inhabiting the present moment. With this collection, which was awarded the prestigious Governor General's Award in 2009, the poet offers a celebration of the bond between the two sisters and a moving tribute to their extraordinary friendship. Thérèse pour Joie et Orchestre is her twelfth book, and the first to be translated into English.

for in my grieving heart / there is almost no space left for Gentleness / we will dismantle the wreckage left by silence / and all the violence we've listened to / simply by sitting down / on a swing made for two / in the strident music of a cicada summer