Monday, September 26, 2011

fall season: poetry stratford

Poetry Stratford is a reading series which, in association with the Stratford Public Library, brings local and national poets to the Library to read and discuss their work.

Don McKay, considered by many to be one of Canada's finest eco-poets has just finished a great reading on September 1. Hopefully, at some point we will be able to persuade him to return. If you aren't familiar with Don's work check him out online. He's the real thing.

The next events are the Open Mike Allstars on October 13 at 7:30pm in the Library auditorium and The James Reaney Memorial Lecture for 2011 on Sunday, October 16 at 3pm with Peter Denny talking about Reaney's so far unproduced opera "Terrible Swift Sword". Free admission. Everyone welcome.

The Fall Season for Poetry Stratford will close on November 9 with an Open Mike. So dust off those poems and bring them in to read. Check the rules for the Open Mike online at the Stratford Public Library site.

Topic next time: Late Blooming Authors (they could be you)

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

poetry stratford 2011 reading season

The 2011 season for Poetry Stratford in collaboration with the Stratford Public Library kicks off this Saturday, April 30 at 2pm, with a group reading in the Library as part of the National Poetry Month celebrations. Reading will be bill bissett, Honey Novick, Gay Allison and Charles Mountford. Admission is free and all are welcome. Should be fun!

OTHER POETRY STRATFORD/STRATFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY READINGS IN 2011:

1. Wendy Morton, Westjet Poet Of The Skies,Thursday, May 12, 2pm, library auditorium. Free admission. All welcome.
2. Don McKay, Canada's Leading Nature Poet, Wednesday, September 21, 2pm, library auditorium. Free admission. All welcome.
3. Open Mike All Stars, Local poets reading, Friday, October 14, 7:30 pm, library auditorium. Free admission. All welcome.

4. JAMES REANEY MEMORIAL LECTURE: Working With Reaney; reminiscences of working with James Reaney by people who worked with him over the years plus a presentation of Reaney's unproduced opera, Terrible Swift Sword. Sunday, October 16, 2:30 pm, library auditorium. Admission Free. All welcome.


Stay tuned! We will keep you up to date as far as our readings are concerned. Don't forget, new blog next week.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

imagiNation Festival 2011

I just finished doing a poetry reading at the imagiNation Festival 2011 in Quebec City. The hospitality and reading atmosphere was great! (to gush a little) The festival is held in the Morrin Centre in Quebec City, the home of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, one of the oldest such societies in North America. The festival showcases all kinds of writing not just poetry.

This year Roch Carrier was Honorary  President and gave a reading of his work. Other readers included Linda Leith, Claire Holden Rothman, Andrew Potter, Alexander MacLeod, Ann Sands Brodoff, Paul Kropp, Sheree Fitch, Todd Denault, Nigel Thomas, Rabindranath Maharaj and John Witt.

My reading took place in the Library of The Morrin Centre which is a library right out of an Agatha Christie novel. A terrific atmosphere for a poetry reading.

This is the first time that I have participated in this festival and I highly recommend it.

I also spent some time at the Salon International du Livre in Quebec City which is held at the same time as the festival. La Maison Anglaise bookstore is kind enough to showcase the books of the writers performing at the festival at this salon. So I sold some books. Great stuff! Had a great week and would do it again. Absolutely.

That's about it for now but I'll be back in a week with more blogspot stuff from thepoetcharlie. (Check my Twitter account under the same name. New writing from me and info available there.)