Poetry Pause is the League of Canadian Poets’ daily poetry dispatch. Read “Niingabinong | West | Ouest” by Connor Lafortune, part of the 2026 Poem in Your Pocket Day collection.

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Niingabinong | West | Ouest

By Connor Lafortune

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Copyright © Connor Lafortune

Published as part of the 2026 Poem in Your Pocket Day collection.

Connor Lafortune is from Dokis First Nation; he uses his understanding of the world to shape his creations as a writer, performer, and academic. Connor combines the written word with beadwork and sewing to recreate the stories of colonization, showcase resilience, and imagine a new future. In 2023, he released a single in collaboration with G.R. Gritt titled “Qui crie au loup? ft. Connor Lafortune.” He recently co-edited A Thousand Tiny Awakenings with Lindsay Mayhew through Latitude 46 Publishing. Above all else, Connor is an activist, a shkaabewis, and a compassionate human being. Visit nmkns.ca for more!

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