The Day-Breakers

The Day-Breakers is a poetry collection that imagines the selflessness of Black soldiers who fought for the Union during the American Civil War, of whom hundreds were African-Canadian. It is an homage to their sacrifice and an unforgettable act of reclamation, restoring a language and offering a powerful new perspective on Black history and experience.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 72 pages
Publication date: 26 May 2022
Publisher: Biblioasis

Longlisted for the 2023 OCM Bocas Prize, the Raymond Souster Poetry Prize, the CBC Best Poetry Book of 2022, and the 2023 ReLit Award for Poetry, The Day-Breakers is a profound exploration of the experiences of African Canadian soldiers before, during, and in the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War. Written by poet Michael Fraser, the book imagines the selflessness of Black soldiers who fought for the Union, many of whom were African Canadian, in their pursuit of freedom for their brethren and the dawning of a new day. Through meticulous craftsmanship, Fraser captures the rhythms of their voices and the era in which they lived and fought, creating an homage to their sacrifice and an unforgettable act of reclamation: the restoration of a language and a powerful new perspective on Black history and experience.

Longlisted for the 2023 OCM Bocas Prize, the Raymond Souster Poetry Prize, the CBC Best Poetry Book of 2022, and the 2023 ReLit Award for Poetry, The Day-Breakers is a profound exploration of the experiences of African Canadian soldiers before, during, and in the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War. Written by poet Michael Fraser, the book imagines the selflessness of Black soldiers who fought for the Union, many of whom were African Canadian, in their pursuit of freedom for their brethren and the dawning of a new day. Through meticulous craftsmanship, Fraser captures the rhythms of their voices and the era in which they lived and fought, creating an homage to their sacrifice and an unforgettable act of reclamation: the restoration of a language and a powerful new perspective on Black history and experience.

Longlisted for the 2023 OCM Bocas Prize, the Raymond Souster Poetry Prize, the CBC Best Poetry Book of 2022, and the 2023 ReLit Award for Poetry, The Day-Breakers is a profound exploration of the experiences of African Canadian soldiers before, during, and in the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War. Written by poet Michael Fraser, the book imagines the selflessness of Black soldiers who fought for the Union, many of whom were African Canadian, in their pursuit of freedom for their brethren and the dawning of a new day. Through meticulous craftsmanship, Fraser captures the rhythms of their voices and the era in which they lived and fought, creating an homage to their sacrifice and an unforgettable act of reclamation: the restoration of a language and a powerful new perspective on Black history and experience.

Weight: 146g
Dimension: 139 x 215 x 9 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781771964838