eat salt | gaze at the ocean explores the themes of Black sovereignty, Haitian sovereignty, and Black lives, using the original Haitian zombie as a metaphor for the condition and treatment of Black bodies. Interspersed with textual representations of zombies, Haitian society, and historical policies is the author’s personal narrative of growing up Black and Haitian of immigrant parents on stolen Indigenous Lands. Désil’s aesthetics uses a variety of documents – fictions, newspaper articles, dictionaries, judicial papers – to tease out, exploit, and dismantle the semantics of the zombie. The expression that lends its words and rhythm to the book’s title refers to the reputed “cure” for reversing the process of zombification.
Finalist 2021 The BC and Yukon Book Prizes' Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize
"Poignant."
—BC Booklook
"Désil intersperses her personal story of growing up Black and Haitian in Canada ... creating a multi-layered exploration that is as political as it is personal."
—the Tyee
“[Désil] … tell[s] not only her story but the story of millions before her … Racism is ALIVE. It is time to sink or swim for survival, and this collection is swimming lessons on dry land.”
—Ormsby Review
By Junie Désil
Junie Désil is of Haitian ancestry. Born of immigrant parents on the Traditional Territories of the Kanien’kehá꞉ka on the island known as Tiohtià꞉ke (Montréal), raised in Treaty 1 Territory (Winnipeg). Junie has performed at various literary events and festivals. Her work has appeared in Room Magazine, PRISM International, The Capilano Review, and CV2.
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news | 2020-12-22
January 28 Zoom Launch!
…Browne reading from Here Junie Desil reading from eat salt | gaze at the ocean Taryn Hubbard reading from Desire Path Thursday, …
news | 2020-09-25
eat salt | gaze at the ocean has arrived!
…We are so pleased to welcome eat salt | gaze at the ocean by Junie Désil! eat salt | gaze at the ocean … This is her début book. Pick up your copy of eat salt | gaze at the ocean today! …
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