The poetry chosen for study in this unit is primarily written in English, although some of the poets include words and lines from songs in their native languages. Students will hear voices from many diverse First Peoples communities but they will easily recognize a commonality of world view in the themes of the poems: respect for and appreciation of the natural environment, the importance of relations with family and community, trust in the wisdom of Elders, the power that comes from the spirit world, and the devastating impact of colonization. Students will also recognize that the structures and poetic devices used in crafting this poetry is similar to poetry written by non-First Peoples writers, but that the voices of the poets and their imagery is distinctly different.