A review by amino
Tell: poems for a girlhood by Soraya Peerbaye, Beth Follett

4.0

Can't stop thinking about the poem "Silt" for it's soft alliteration that was such a joy to read, same goes for "Washerwoman." "Beauty" was immersive, overwhelming, and visceral if you've ever shared a similar girlhood experience. This collection of poems is so important because of the way it highlights a part of Canadian history people would rather not deal with. The murder of 14-year-old Reena Virk took place in 1997 and wasn't dealt with in society for the brutal murder it was but was predominantly brushed aside as "girl-on-girl violence." Peerbaye does a wonderful job at understanding that it is not her place to speak on Virk's behalf but brings this tragic event to light in a way that forces us to confront it and, most importantly, come to terms with the reality that racism exists in Canada.