Jim Johnston is a 74-year-old man who has faced many trials and tribulations in his life. In his early years as a student, he was told that there was a 90% chance he wouldn’t be able to read or write. However, he received a 100% score for creativity when being examined. “Society, all my life has put me into a box. So I proved them wrong” said Johnston, who has just completed his 5th writing major and has spent the last 16 years in post-secondary school. As someone who is Metis and dyslexic, he is a role model for many young people with this learning disability. “I just want to make the world a better place, it shows that it doesn’t matter how the system beats you down, and if you’re dyslexic, or if you have native blood or anything.” His resilience and determination are inspiring, as are his poems. You can read some of Jim Johnston’s poetry below.
In a Dream the Swiss Cheese Blooms
ding dong are you there jim?
who is this?
chief white bear
hi ancestor
follow me woodlands
what year?
wow i'm octopus
lighting snow forest
suckers trembling aspen
the swiss cheese blooms
owls meow
glowflies firecracker
jade spider aliens
zip in a puffball ship
humans:
no smarties
smoky cobalt rock
primitive two-legative bugs
no bugs for you, kids.
wow are you there jim?
Dragon Breath
Oh Brother Gordie bad brother
jump in Pharaoh Gang
dragon breath wolf skin
night howls a black ghost
torch up Lucky Strike
dragon breath burning
boot street knuckle busters
pounding skulls
roar by ’49 Coupe
oh brother wolf
dragon breath burning
I blow the raspberry slice.