Originally written for hobby blog on 25 May 2018
While Brick Books generally publishes poetry, I’m not entirely sure this collection qualifies as poetry, even prose poetry. The line between prose and poetry can be incredibly thin, and I personally think this is more a collection of micro-fictions than poetry, as the diction lacks the rhythmic nature of most poetry. That’s mostly my own opinion, but something worth noting before starting the review proper.
With a “fetch” being defined as a wandering spirit that tries to communicate with the living and are “annoyingly familiar at sea” by the Dictionary of Newfoundland English, I couldn’t think of a more fitting title for this collection of stories from a diverse range of voices representing the cultural heritage of Newfoundland, specifically the outport communities of Bonavista Bay (particularly that of Round Harbour where the author’s father was born) that were resettled in the 50s. Rogers is adept at creating unique voices for each story, from the young girl character of “Fatty Me Mommy” that reads like one long stream of consciousness with juvenile diction to the childish bravado and confidence of a young boy trying to prove his manhood in “Lucky Boy,” to the more wizened and tender voice of an elderly widower remembering his wife in “On My Knees in the Flowers.”
While Fetch offers a wide range of voices on a variety of topics, from the story of a difficult birth in “Olive Oil” or “Rosebloom,” and the more somber stories of childhood poverty in “Counting on a Coin” and “Praying to Boulders for Berries” to the philosophic musings of taking a dump in the ocean in “The Guts” or reminiscing on finding love in “Angel Head” and “Best Hand Ever,” the ocean, ice, salt, poverty, and the hardiness of Newfoundlanders hover over a majority of the poems.
While many of the poems display the hunger and desperation that comes with poverty and living rough, like in “Praying to Boulders for Berries” where the speaker prays so much he wears through the knees of his pants to the point his kneecaps start bleeding, many characters remain proud and accept no charity with little to no complaint. For example, the mother in “Counting on a Coin” is forced to give away all the money she was planning to use to feed the family for her child’s medical bill, and she does so with a smile, grateful that she doesn’t have to be in debt to anyone. The characters are very sympathetic and relatable. The diversity of voices and different stories make it feel like you’re looking through a window into the past of Newfoundland culture.
While reading the stories, regardless of whether a story is lighthearted, somber, or funny, they are filled with a lot of heart. In reading the notes and acknowledgements, it only confirms that Rogers put in a lot of time and effort into the research for the collection and had a lot of personal investment in learning about his own culture and heritage. By reading something written by someone a part of a culture outside our own, we get a look inside where we may have never gotten the chance before.
If you’re interested in learning about Newfoundland culture and wished to be charmed by folksy stories like you’re sitting around a table at a small town community bake sale, this is definitely the book for you. The stories are written in such a way you feel as if your grandparents are telling you stories about their youth.
Some Quick Stats
Author: Nico Rogers
Published: 2010, Brick Books
Pages: 119