I am a writer, poet, and second generation of the Holocaust. I live in Toronto and I work in the community services sector on behalf of marginalized and disadvantaged people. I am passionate about making a difference through my writing and my professional work.
Turning the Corner at Dusk explores my parents’ stories as child survivors of the Holocaust and my own experiences as a second generation of the Holocaust.
During the twelve years since Turning the Corner at Dusk was published, I have used my poems as an artistic tool to educate more than two thousand individuals about the Holocaust. People of all ages at schools, universities, colleges, churches, synagogues, conferences, and community centres across Canada have been moved by the poems I have shared.
My second poetry manuscript, “Jewish Children on the Run”, depicts my parents’ experiences in the Holocaust, the role of these narratives in my own story, and the important lessons of this history for our world today. The poems also delve into universal topics such as grief, loss, self-acceptance and finding community and love, in my case as a queer woman and mother.
As a second generation of the Holocaust, I hold a unique position in being able to educate others about this genocide. As the population of Holocaust survivors rapidly diminishes, I believe my role is even more vital, especially with the increasing lack of awareness of the Holocaust among children and youth.
I would love the chance to share my poetry with you and to help further our understanding of the Holocaust and its continuing impact. We will also draw links between the Holocaust and discrimination, persecution, and genocide today.
I am a member of the League of Canadian Poets and the Writers Union of Canada. I am currently working on two novels entitled, “When We Uncrossed the Stars” and “A Matter of Choice”. I have a B.A.(Honours) in English Literature from Queen’s University and a Master in Education with a specialization in Adult Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. I am the Executive Director of a non-profit organization that provides social, recreational, and health promotion programs for seniors.
Publications
Turning the Corner at Dusk, published by Wolsak and Wynn, April 2010. This book is a collection of poetry exploring themes related to being a child of Holocaust survivors such as remembrance, healing, and intergenerational trauma, and the creation of new life and family.
Turning the Corner at Dusk can also be purchased at Ben McNally books or Wonderworks.
Publisher:
Jacquie Buncel — Wolsak & Wynn (wolsakandwynn.ca)
Poems published in the following journals:
- Fireweed
- The Amethyst Review
- Atlantis: A Women’s Studies Journal
- Poetica: Reflections of Jewish Thought
- Kaleidoscope: An International Journal of Poetry
- Contemporary Verse Two
Poems and stories published in the following anthologies:
- Outrage: Dykes and Bi’s Resist Homophobia (Women’s Press, 1993)
- Countering the Myths: Lesbians write about the Men in their Lives (Women’s Press, 1995)