Kokom’s Kitchen

Verna Ross

Poetry

Editorial Note

‘Kokom’s Kitchen’ conveys grief and longing, yearning for one more visit to a grandmother’s kitchen to witness her making bread and to feel her warm embrace. In this special issue on Land-Based Teaching and Leaming, it emphasizes that the kitchen is sacred land and that the knowledge in a grandmother’s hands-like baking bread and filling a home with love-is irreplaceable. The poem doesn’t reflect or explain; it simply expresses love and loss. Kokom is felt in the aroma of baking bread and the silence left by her absence, highlighting the unique grief tied to food and kitchens after a Knowledge Keeper is gone.

One more visit

is all I ask.

To see your hands

make one more recipe.

My safe place

is in your kitchen

watching you make bread

and buns.

The smell

of fresh bread

and pinesol

in the air.

I wish

to hear from you once more.

I wish

to feel your warmth

or pick your favourite

berries.

I miss your kitchen

where hugs and kisses

were always found.

I miss you

deeply.

About the Author

Tansi, my name is Verna Ross. I am a proud member of Pimicikamak Cree Nation (Cross Lake). Currently, I am a third-year student at the University College of the North here in Thompson, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts with the intent to enter the field of Education. As a mother to three boys aged 13, 6, and 4. I am deeply motivated to succeed in my studies to build a bright future for my family.

My path toward education is inspired by my heritage and the strong foundations laid by my family. I spent much of my childhood in my grandparents’ home, and my most cherished memories are from my Kokom’s kitchen. Watching her make bread and bannock taught me the importance of family and love. Today, I am the baker for my own family, and I carry those traditions with me as a sister, auntie, and friend. My goal is to use my education to serve my community and, one day, pass these values and skills down to my own grandchildren. Ekosani

Editor's Remarks

Verna Ross’s “Kokom’s Kitchen” is a poem that feels complete and precise. Each stanza represents a room of longing, with elements like hands, the kitchen, and pinesol, reflecting griefs non-linear nature. The detail of pinesol beside fresh bread stands out as a powerful and unadorned sensory memory, showcasing the author’s trust in the reader. This mature and moving piece serves as a meaningful conclusion to today. (Dr. Ying Kong)