Inside the Pearl

Jude Neale's poetry beautifully evokes the history, memories and warmth of Joy Kogawa House. There's an intimacy and connection in the pairing of Neale's spare visual verse and Hooson's photos of everyday domesticity…it feels familiar, like spending time there yourself.

Jane Kenyon, painter and textile artist

Jude Neale's poetry resonates like music. These small poems from Inside the Pearl have the cadence and breath of musical verse. "hollow bowl plump / cherries / small fingers choosing" This unique and intimate collection allows us a view of Joy Kogawa House as both a home and welcoming haven.

Elaine Taylor, linguist, musician and gold medal music teacher

I just read Inside the Pearl and what a delicate beautiful tone comes by. A light bell sound. Wonder. Grace…

Joy Kogawa, Order of Canada (CM), Order of British Columbia (OBC), novelist, poet, activist

Inspired by the contemporary English-language haiku, accomplished poet Jude Neale explores ordinary objects through both poetry and photography in her new collection, Inside the Pearl. These photos and haiku-like poems capture moments and memories — recording and archiving, the history and treasures of Joy Kogawa House in Vancouver, Canada. The Images range from colourful household items to grainy, black-and-white snapshots of times past, reminders of a most difficult period in Japanese Canadian history that still resonate today. A favourite: "children stand / with mother / sunflowers opening." I hope she continues on this path of haiku discovery.

kjmunro, author of contractions (Red Moon Press, 2019), winner of 2019 LCP short poetry competition