Stone Collection

Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm (she/her/hers) is a writer, poet, spoken-word performer, librettist, and activist from the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, Saugeen Ojibway Nation, as well as an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing, Indigenous Literatures and Oral Traditions at the University of Toronto Scarborough. She is the founder and Managing Editor of Kegedonce Press which was established in 1993 to publish the work of Indigenous creators. Kateri has written two books of poetry, was a contributor to the graphic novel anthology This Place: 150 Years Retold, was editor of the award-winning Skins: Contemporary Indigenous Writing, and has released two poetry and music CDs. Kateri's work has been published internationally, and she has performed and spoken around the world. (Re)Generation: The Poetry of Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, a book of collected poems, was released by Wilfrid Laurier Press in 2021 and the translation of her first collection of poetry, Mon coeur est une balle perdue, was released in 2024 by Le Noroît. Her poem restitution OR Nanabush speaks to the settlers was shortlisted for the 2023 CBC Poetry Prize.

• Prologue: PICKING STONES 1 It’s Not So Much 5 The Blackbird Cage 23 The Stone Eater 35 The Palace 41 Calcified Horses 57 Mashkii-akii 63 Mirrors 75 Butterflies Are Free 83 the day I learned to fly 89 whale song in riverain park 113 Chloe 117 Touching Sky 133 Epilogue: THE DREAMING AND THE WAKING 143

A Story Circle Network Finalist for the Sarton Women’s Book Award for Young Adult Fiction