In the small but mighty #ownvoices anthology Carry On: Poetry by Young Immigrants (OwlKids Books), teenaged students, each a newcomer to Canada, relate their experiences of leaving behind family, friends, and a familiar way of life.

At the invitation of Nathalie Vézina, a teacher at Paul-Gérin-Lajoie-d’Outremont high school in Outremont, Quebec, writer Simon Boulerice led a series of creative-writing workshops during which all 15 poems contained in the book were composed. Each workshop was open to immigrant students in level four and five classes.

Boulerice, illustrator Rogé, and workshop participant Grigor Mihaylov spoke with Q&Q about poetry, resilience, and the new anthology.

Simon Boulerice is a novelist, playwright, poet, and children’s book author. His 2014 novel Edgar Paillettes won Quebec’s Prix des libraires in the youth category.

How did you see the students change over the span of the workshop?

Simon Boulerice: Though they came from all over the world, they had this in common: none had mastered French, which was in some cases their third or even fourth language! At first, some students were fearful. They didn’t think they had the makings of a poet. But throughout the process, they came to understand that poetry is about shaping images that are personal, to reveal themselves with originality.

What was your reaction to the poetry they created?

SB: I was dazzled by the talent, sincerity, and sensitivity. Many revealed their disappointments as well as their joys. Every poem had touching and unique details.

How did the idea for the anthology come about?

SB: The idea of creating a collection was always there. Rogé and I knew we would make a book to celebrate these newcomers who are living in a state of infinite dizziness as they try to acclimatize to a new country, a new world. But the poems were even more powerful than I’d expected. The book has an exceptional energy, and it doesn’t surprise me given the strength of their words.

What would you like readers to take away from the anthology?

SB: The resilience of these young people. Their courage, too. The pain of what it means to leave everything. To respect the choice these parents made to give their children a better future.

Rogé, illustrator of more than 20 children’s books and winner of a Governor General’s Literary Award for illustration, became involved in the project after he was introduced to Boulerice through a mutual friend.

How did you approach this project?

Rogé: Each time I choose a subject I do so with careful thought. The idea of community is important to me.

In the case of immigrants, we rarely listen to the experiences of young people. We have a lot of information on the subject from experts, journalists, and social networks. Too often it’s all negative.

I want to give young people the opportunity to express themselves. To give them a voice. With this anthology, I am able to add a face to their words and emotions.

What did you most want your portraits to capture?

Rogé: I wanted to capture the light in their eyes. I told them to be natural, that a smile is not the most important … You feel everything through their eyes.

How did being part of this project affect you as an artist and as an individual?

Rogé: This project has changed the way I paint. Because now I want, I need, and I search for more poetry and humanity in my work and in my life.

An immigrant from Bulgaria, Grigor Mihaylov participated in the workshop during his first year in Quebec. He and his classmates met with Boulerice 10 times over a three-month period.

What was it like being in Boulerice’s workshop?

Grigor Mihaylov: It was a lot of fun and very enriching to have him guide us as we were working on our poems. We would look forward to the days he would come to check on our progress and give us feedback. We had about five to six versions of our poems from first draft to final product, and Simon helped us every step of the way. His insight and guidance was key for all of us.

Have you always written, or was the workshop your first experience with writing?

GM: No, I don’t really write in my free time. Simon’s workshop was the first time I ever wrote a poem. It was exciting and it gave me a chance to express something that mattered to me very much. I think for all of us it was like that. Those poems were our chance to speak out about something we would have otherwise kept to ourselves. And the act of putting it out there in the world felt really good.

What did you learn about yourself from participating in the workshop?

GM: I learned how good it feels to stop holding emotions in and that letting them out in the world is the right thing to do. That realization helped me grow as a person.

What do you hope readers take away from the anthology?

GM: I hope they find inspiration, perspective, and that they recognize themselves in our stories and our emotions. This book gives a voice to young people who’ve had unique life experiences. There is immeasurable value in these stories.