Inspirational poems for inspirational tunes. A short history of bagpipes and poetry in Canada.

From encrypted histories and systemic weight to ancestral echoes and quiet acts of gratitude, this poetry reading brings together four distinct yet intertwined voices in Canadian literature. Join us for an evening that opens the silences, gives shape to resilience, and asks what it means to carry stories through the body and beyond.

In partnership with TransLink and BC Transit, Read Local BC and Creative BC presents the launch of this year’s Poetry In Transit campaign at Word Vancouver. Now celebrating its 29th year, this beloved community-engagement project displays the work of ten BC poets on public transit vehicles throughout the province. Join us to hear a selection of the featured 2025-26 poets read from their work, followed by a short discussion and Q&A in which you can engage with the poets over your love of the written verse!

When all else fails, poetry fills in our uncertainties with memorable language, helping us find the words needed to both confront systems of oppression and adapt to the unknowns that are always pressing in.