Lots of stuff happening poetically. Keep checking for updates.
Don't miss the workshop/lecture on Ekphrastic Poetry. If you are not already an ekphrasticist this just means poetry that has been inspired by another art form such as painting, for example. This workshop promises to fill you in as to how you can add this approach to poetry to what you do. The speaker/workshop leader is Robert Phillips who lives in Stratford. Phillips has been a sessional professor in the Art and Art History program at the University of Toronto at Mississauga and Sheridan College. He was chair of the Arts Education Council of Ontario and has been a board member of the Ontario Art Education Association since 1987. He was President of this association (1991-95).
He is currently employed part-time by the Art Gallery of Ontario as Education Officer for Teacher Programs.
This promises to be an excellent and entertaining evening with a chance to create your own ekphrastic work.
Date:Thursday, February 7, 7pm, Stratford Public Library auditorium
Be there or be square (or some such thing, whatever).
Poetry Stratford Spring Program Updates For Your Poetry Fix
FOUR WOMEN: A Celebration of Women In Poetry: Poetry Month Event, Sunday, April 21, 2:30 pm Stratford Public Library Auditorium. Admission Free All are Welcome.
2013 SPRINGWORKS FESTIVAL: stayed tuned for further info about charles mountford and liz zetlin who will be performing at this event. There may also be an open mike maybe. More details later.
TEA AND POETRY: Charles Mountford having at you readingwise. Thursday, May30, 7:30pm, at TEA LEAVES TEA TASTING BAR on Erie Street. Find out more about tea than you thought possible and grok some poems. Seating is limited so let Karen know that you want to come. 519-273-1201.
Next Blog will begin our examination of LATE BLOOMERS in poetry. Noli desperandum. There is hope for us all
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Monday, December 10, 2012
KUDOS TO PHIL HALL
Canadian poet, Phil Hall, had a banner year this year (and last) with his new book, Killdeer. In 2011 the book won the Governor General's award for poetry and in 2012 it won the Trillium book Award and was shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize. Hall is a very interesting poet. Well worth reading. Google him and find out stuff. Poetry Stratford heard him read at the Griffin Prize readings and he was great. Check Phil out, absolutely.
One of the things I'm hoping to focus on, now that The Blog Is Back Hooray!, is late bloomers in poetry. These are people who, for who knows what complicated set of reasons, don't receive the recognition they deserve for their work until they are deceased or are too advanced in age (if this is possible), to date pro football cheerleaders as a result of poetic glory. So, what good is the award,right? Anyway, I'm hoping to bring some of these people to your attention. There are a lot of good poets out there not just the usual list of greatness, although they are wonderful as well. Canadian poetry, in this blog's opinion, has never been in better shape. We now have enough variety in styles and outlook to create controversy. Poetry fight. Whoa! Check it out.
One of the things I'm hoping to focus on, now that The Blog Is Back Hooray!, is late bloomers in poetry. These are people who, for who knows what complicated set of reasons, don't receive the recognition they deserve for their work until they are deceased or are too advanced in age (if this is possible), to date pro football cheerleaders as a result of poetic glory. So, what good is the award,right? Anyway, I'm hoping to bring some of these people to your attention. There are a lot of good poets out there not just the usual list of greatness, although they are wonderful as well. Canadian poetry, in this blog's opinion, has never been in better shape. We now have enough variety in styles and outlook to create controversy. Poetry fight. Whoa! Check it out.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
stratford authors special
Last night, December 5, Stratford Authors blog had their first "Meet The Authors" Night. More than a dozen authors of all kinds, including myself, introduced themselves and talked about their works. This is a great initiative for Stratford and its immediate surrounding area and there will be more! Check out Stratford Authors blog to see what's coming up soon.
Poetry Stratford's 2013 season is now in the planning stage. We are planning to stage a reading called "A Celebration of Women Poets" on April 21, 2013. The reading will be in the Stratford Public Library auditorium. Stay tuned for further details.
Canadian Poet Liz Zetlin will be doing a reading on May 12, 2013. The venue hasn't been set for this one yet. Jeanette Lynes, author of Left Fields, says about Liz's book, The Thing With Feathers, that "After reading these poems you'll never feel quite the same way about certain things - milk, chicken nuggets, colons, crows, badminton, poblano chilis. This is a book of sharp tastes and unflinching attentions." Stay tuned for more details about this as time goes on.
David Ferry has indicated that he will be keynote speaker at our annual James Reaney Memorial Lecture in October. Show up early for this one. We always get a full house. Tentative title for the evening is "Directing Reaney". Lots more details about this as time goes on. Check us out.
These are just some of the events that we have planned for you. Poetry Stratford invites nationally known poets to read and also well-known and emerging poets from the Stratford and Sowesto region.
The readings are free and everyone is welcome.
I'm going to be touring my third book, The Thing On The Comb, in the Spring and Fall of 2013. I'll keep in touch and let you know where I will be reading so that if you are in the area you will be able to come. Remember, poetry readings are one of the few entertainments where you can attend, have a chat and a snack and still have time to get back home and watch your favourite television show. Is that great or what?
Poetry Stratford's 2013 season is now in the planning stage. We are planning to stage a reading called "A Celebration of Women Poets" on April 21, 2013. The reading will be in the Stratford Public Library auditorium. Stay tuned for further details.
Canadian Poet Liz Zetlin will be doing a reading on May 12, 2013. The venue hasn't been set for this one yet. Jeanette Lynes, author of Left Fields, says about Liz's book, The Thing With Feathers, that "After reading these poems you'll never feel quite the same way about certain things - milk, chicken nuggets, colons, crows, badminton, poblano chilis. This is a book of sharp tastes and unflinching attentions." Stay tuned for more details about this as time goes on.
David Ferry has indicated that he will be keynote speaker at our annual James Reaney Memorial Lecture in October. Show up early for this one. We always get a full house. Tentative title for the evening is "Directing Reaney". Lots more details about this as time goes on. Check us out.
These are just some of the events that we have planned for you. Poetry Stratford invites nationally known poets to read and also well-known and emerging poets from the Stratford and Sowesto region.
The readings are free and everyone is welcome.
I'm going to be touring my third book, The Thing On The Comb, in the Spring and Fall of 2013. I'll keep in touch and let you know where I will be reading so that if you are in the area you will be able to come. Remember, poetry readings are one of the few entertainments where you can attend, have a chat and a snack and still have time to get back home and watch your favourite television show. Is that great or what?
Monday, November 19, 2012
the blog is back!
Sorry for the blog break. It's been almost a year since I've posted anything. Part of it was the excitement of finally having my third book, "The Thing On The Comb", come out. Nothing is guaranteed to make a writer forget about everything else for a while better than the appearance in print of new work. The response to the book has been great. As a humourist and a poet, my readers are telling me that the stuff I write is funny (thank God), touching and sad and that I push the envelope of what constitutes poetry. While doing readings of the book my audience has called me an historian of ordinary life, a curator of everyday life or some variation on that. They say that the people I write about could be anybody's next door neighbour and their problems could be yours. All of this has made me very happy about the book and thanks to everybody for sharing their feelings so freely with me. My thanks also to Everett and all my other characters whose lives have provided me with grist for my mill. I hope that his wife comes back to him soon but since she's now married to his cousin that seems unlikely. Still, nothing is impossible. Hal's wife left him too, gone to greater glory in a dry cleaning job in The Soo but he's met Edith, now, and maybe that's a good thing. Life has its ups and downs. No surprise there. The big surprise is how they all continue. But that's what life's all about and we should be thankful that it is.
I should mention, too, that my reading series at the Library, which is a real joy for me, is over for the year. Thanks to Anne Marie for all her help in making it a success and for Sam for being there at all the events. We hope he enjoyed himself. I also want to thank everybody who came to the James Reaney presentation that we have every year and to the Reaney family for helping to make the event a success. One of the great things about being writer-in-residence at the Library is the chance to meet the endless travelling show of writers who criss-cross Canada. Who says that vaudeville is dead? Mark was also a big help this year in building an audience. And, finally, thanks to that audience. We love you all! Come back next season! Bring your relatives and friends with you!
Enough said. Let me know what's going on with you. Who knows, your life could end up in a story or a poem. Suitably disguised, of course.
I should mention, too, that my reading series at the Library, which is a real joy for me, is over for the year. Thanks to Anne Marie for all her help in making it a success and for Sam for being there at all the events. We hope he enjoyed himself. I also want to thank everybody who came to the James Reaney presentation that we have every year and to the Reaney family for helping to make the event a success. One of the great things about being writer-in-residence at the Library is the chance to meet the endless travelling show of writers who criss-cross Canada. Who says that vaudeville is dead? Mark was also a big help this year in building an audience. And, finally, thanks to that audience. We love you all! Come back next season! Bring your relatives and friends with you!
Enough said. Let me know what's going on with you. Who knows, your life could end up in a story or a poem. Suitably disguised, of course.
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)
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.
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.)
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.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)