Rose DeShaw » Poems

POETRY PROJECT & INSTALLATION OF NEW POET LAUREATE, ERIC FOLSOM

Rose — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:37:46 +0000

Craig Walker from the English Department of Queen’s University introduced the Poetry Project September 20/2011 down at City Hall last night, along with a formal introduction of Eric Folsom, our poet laureate. Reading with Eric were David Helwig who has been Poet Laureate of Prince Edward Island (Here with partner Jane Goodie)

Joanne Page who read a poem about the Sail Loft on Garden Island, Daniel David Moses who read a poem about Jogging in Toronto

and Carolyn Smart, Creative Writing teacher from Queen’s who read a poem about a suicide among the Bloomsbury Group.
I have linked to the Poetry Project though it does seem to have been strictly for the evening. Poems, Eric’s for sure, are to go on the sides of recycling ads on our buses which sounds swell.
Then Eric went over to a crowded city hall and read his poem called Building, most appropriate as delegates were there, concerned about the new building that will replace the hideous, dilapated old Toronto Dominion bank building kitty-corner from City Hall at Brock and King.
In his poem Eric referred to this elegant light fixure in the centre of the City Hall horseshoe as a ‘button bush.’

As he read, the first mayor of Kingston in 1847, The Irish Thomas Kirkpatrick looked down over his shoulder.

Here’s our present mayor, Mark Gerretsen, introducing Eric, watched even more closely by Kirkpatrick.
It was a splendid night for poetry.

TARA KAINER’S BOOK OF PAIN & NATURE

Rose — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 15:40:32 +0000

She’s been on welfare. Tara says that right up front in an interview on youtube. (Link on right). Titles of the work in her new book give you some idea of what she’s been through: Past Hope, Sadness, I Didn’t Count On This, Hunger, Love Is Like Death, This Yearning, There’s A Funeral Here Today, Collateral Damage, Misreadings, Self-Doubt, At The Welfare Office, But I’m Hungry. Plus Denial and A Lunatics Love Song. Those are just the obvious ones.
And yet she is constantly surprised by nature; that it exists at all. She doesn’t expect it will be there for her: “I didn’t count on this/a riot of colour in the rain red leaves”, “Otherworldly light/spills across the sea, the sky/unearthly, faery, godly/gossamer light.”
A disclaimer. Tara is one of my heroes. This gentle glowing tough woman who has plowed her way through more mountains than the rockies ever had, stood her ground while trouble rained on all sides and now produces a book so like herself in its tenderness and unshakeable faith in what should be, what ought to be and how it can be told.
For, ‘A Single Seed,’ alone she deserves nomination for some kind of award within the community of poets. I read it aloud to my husband the critical and seldom impressed philosopher and he said, ‘OH WOW SHE’S GOOD!” The opening stanza’s begin in the garden where she suddenly marvels that she is here on this planet, living this life and then she begins to sum up:
“I am
a middle-aged woman
of the 21st century. Three
children, three jobs, alone
in a rented apartment, an image
in the mirror I don’t recognize.
What convergence of forces
rooted me here? Which corner
should I have turned, thought,
suppressed, action taken, lover
embraced?”
You can purchase it online or at the Novel Idea in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Let her know what you think once you’ve absorbed it, eh?

FIRE AMONG THE RENKU!! Somebody doesn’t like poetry?

Rose — Sun, 29 May 2011 14:43:05 +0000

Someone held a cigarette lighter up to this particular renku in my spring garden on the corner. As a form of criticism, it leaves a lot to be desired. Was it this verse on the front, sent me by Sandra Stephenson as an academic offshoot of rengu or this one I love on the reverse side?

Like the awful poet said: ‘Something there is that doesn’t love a tree…” Or maybe its the old woman reference he’s not partial to. Or the fact that someone can nod off to sleep while he, poor arsonist, is forced to roam the city streets with his lighter, seeking targets in the middle of the night?
At any rate, torching the renku has never happened in the three or so years I’ve been sticking poems in the garden. Anger, sure. Complaints, a lot. People argue with the verse. Sober people. Declare those particular lines are unworthy, should not be posted.
All such lovely reasons for continuing to do so!

GREAT ABORIGINAL POET VISITS KINGSTON

Rose — Sun, 29 May 2011 12:32:07 +0000

This is the only picture I got of Joanne Arnott, a Metis poet from the West Coast of Canada whose poems on the very essence of women, birthing, mothering and women’s lives are affective and effective while musical at the same time. What she writes makes you hear tunes in your head. Nature walks with her every word, nodding as mother to Mother, wrapping itself in truth for the wintry days ahead.
She left me with Salish Seas, the handsome West Coast Aboriginal Collective Writer’s Anthology, which she edited earlier this year. (Available from the collective and their friends (all 36 contributor names & bios at back of book).

She was accompanied by Alistair MacDonald who has moved to Ottawa from the north to work on Inuit Land Rights.

WROTE ABOUT ERIC IN AUGUST BUT DIDN’T POST

Rose — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 18:48:22 +0000

I was afraid I wouldn’t look objective on recommending Eric, so I kept this draft around while compiling a list of all the possible well-deserving Other candidates but here’s what I wrote:
POET LAUREATE FOR KINGSTON ONTARIO- My VOTE GOES TO ERIC FOLSOM (Who- let’s be clear- knows nothing about this site).
August 23rd, 2010 by Rose Why the unassuming, modest Folsom with all the big guns in town? First because we need a Laureate-MENTOR, someone with whom you can talk poetry without being brushed off, particularly not a prima donna! There’s tons of big deal poets with high-powered careers lurking about town, cloistered and often associated with the university. They don’t seem to have much interest in chatting with beginner poets or the general public.

Here’s his natural habitat, the central branch of our public library where he works.
Consider Folsom: He published and edited a poetry quarterly, ‘Next Exit,’ for seven years, starting the careers of young poets all over Canada. He’s served as the provincial rep for the League of Poets. On the writer size, he continues to be frequently anthologized, publishing both books and chapbooks (see below) for the past thirty-six years as well as teaching creative writing at St Lawrence College and the public school system and reviewing poetry books for the Whig & Quarry Press. He’s been a finalist in the CBC literary awards and was asked to do a live CBC reading when the Grand Theatre reopened in 2002

And here’s the evil robotic book drop that craftily only gives you receipts for SOME of your books, leaving you to explain, again and again, that yes, you DID return those others too but the robot chose not to acknowledge this. So whaddya do then? Climb in there and arm wrestle? It Has Happened to Me!
Back To Eric. I have handed him several visiting poets who needed billeting, feeding and taking to the train after and I know there have been dozens. I saw this beginning more than thirty years ago at the first writer’s group I ever attended. Eric is identified with our town. When you mention Kingston poets online, someone usually starts, “Well, there’s Eric Folsom.’

Eric’s been a workhorse for poetry behind the scenes, on overload during every National Poetry Week. He’s present at every reading I’ve ever been to, giving workshops, arranging readings, reading himself when required, lately while working full time at the library.

If we’re looking for inspiration and knowledge, enduring writing; if we want to reward poetic service in the trenches, nobody touches the guy. For me, Laureate is spelled F-0-L-S-O-M. Just read his stuff!

Publications (List being updated – send YOUR info)

BOOKS:

Brewed For Ontario (1981)
Icon Driven (Wolsak & Wynn) 1990
Poems for Little Cataraqui (Broken Jaw Press, 1994)
What Kind of Love Did You Have in Mind? (Wolsak & Wynn, 1997)
Northeastern Anti-Ghazals (2005)

ANTHOLOGIES:
More Garden Varieties Two (Mercury Press, 1994)
Written In Stone: A Kingston Readere (Quarry Press, 1993)
Vintage 95 (Quarry Press/League of Canadian Poets) 1996)
Arc 44: The 99 Century: Canada’s Poets At The Millenium (2000)
Crossing Lines; Poets Who Came To Canada in the Viet Nam War Era
(Seraphim, 2008)
On The Threshold: Writing Towards the Year 2000 (Porcepic/Foxglove)
Reloading the Can(0)on, U of T Press
Kingston Poet’s Gallery 2006
Out Of The Woodwork (Newfoundland, 2008

CHAPBOOKS:
Ain’t No More in this World (Aboveground Press, 1996)
LOOKING FOR HELP IN UPDATING THIS – PLEASE SEND ME INFO

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THE ANTIGONISH REVIEW: COMPLAINT

Rose — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 12:25:58 +0000

Terribly pleased to be in this prestigous journal with a poem about a guy complaining about how much he hates having the circus come to town.

ONLY 1 LAUREATE – MANY GREAT CITY POETS

Rose — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 10:50:25 +0000

Disclaimer: This is an attempt at an objective overview of whom to choose for Kingston Poet Laureate. Though a sometime poet, I am not a candidate, being primarily a writer of Creative Non-fiction.
NOTE- EXPECTING CORRECTIONS/UPDATES This site will be CONSTANTLY UPDATED as information flows in. Some of these poets may be up for Putlizers. Write & say so. No intention of slighting ANYONE, okay?? (Perhaps I’ll maintain this area of my blog after we have our laureate, just in terms of ongoing good poems.)

CRITERIA - First, goes without saying, they need to be permanent IN KINGSTON. Not occasional visitors trailing clouds of glory from their REAL homebase. (This has been in contention lately but we need to limit this firmly to more than HALF a poet, eh?)

Then the important questions (Though no poet will have them all): Is the poet: an ongoing mentor? Regularly billets? Has more than one non-self-published book of poetry? Won grants, awards, honours? appointments? Paid paid poetry dues: (membership in League of Poets, starting magazine or reading series, volunteered for national poetry week, etc?) Known particularly for Poetry rather than other arts areas?

Will their election help heal the illusion/delusion/(some say reality) that poetry lives only at the university? Walt Whitman helped disperse that in his lifetime but not in Kingston. For a long while, readings were held ONLY at Queens. (the academic paradigm?) The appointment of a working poet, unaffliliated, would go a long way towards changing that unfortunate perception.

Poetry these days is a hard sell. If you truly hunger after precise, moving use of language, there’s a lot to choose from in Kingston. Some good poets are also better at the marketing and promoting side.

Others write, publish and slough through the poetry trenches, mentoring, supporting and welcoming new poets to the ranks while remaining relatively unknown to the population at large.

Poet Laureate selection time should be an opportunity to recognize the hard work of those behind the scenes as well as selecting one of them to recognize the importance of poetry to this community.

While there’s still time, let me suggest some names that might otherwise be overlooked, along with what little I know about each of them. Of course I’ll miss a lot, those writing and publishing quietly, likely for many years and fully as deserving. Remind me. I have an aging memory.

While Gender MUST NOT enter into the selection of the Laureate, we know – There Are More Women Poets But Men Tend To Publish More Easily. And Finally: It Never Hurts To Have Queen’s In Your Corner.

Obvious Candidates: (No One Would Be Surprised If They Got It: Prominence, Position, Publications, Profile. The Laureate will probably come from here. Short List:

Helen Humphrys - Honours, Awards. Publications. Canada Council. Former Poet in Residence appointment Queen’s.

Steve Heighton-Honours. Awards. Canada Council. former Poet In Residence positions

Elizabeth Greene – Publications. Works for Poetry. Former Poetry Prof some student mentoring Former Queens.

Eric Folsom-Former poetry publisher/editor, (Next Exit Quarterly), former League of Poets Rep, CBC poetry shortlist, Many publications/anthologies/chapbooks, Poetry Prof, (St Lawrence & School system), Workshops, frequent reader/organizer/poetry promoter. 30 yr history as billeter/feeder/driver of out of town poets, down on their luck poets

Patience Wheatley Publications. Canada Council. League of Poets.

Carolyn Smart- Publications.Plays. Poetry Prof. Canada Council Poet? Queen’s.

Michael Hurley- Performer/Reader. Many publications. Canada Council Poet? Poetry Prof (RMC) Mentor Royal Military College English Prof

Joanne Page – 3 books of poetry, finalist for Trillium Award, anthologies, workshops, teaching.

Mary Cameron Publications, League of Poets,

Others who MUST be considered:

P.Sri Publications/Translations. RMC Professor

Tom Vincent Publications. RMC Professor?

Laurie Lewis – Publisher. Years on Poetry Scene. League of Poets, Probably Canada Council Poet. Publications.

David Daniel Moses – Poet/Playwright. Publications. Queen’s. Better known outside town. Queen’s.

Diane Dawber- first poet to establish/host monthly reading series in town, unconnected with Queen’s, (Poetry & Company). 7 books of poetry. Billets & hosts poets on regular basis. Countless school workshops. Canada Council Poet. League of Poets.

Bruce Kaufman- started & hosts monthly reading series (Artel Reading Series). Published?

Bob MacKenzie – started/hosted 2 poetry reading series (Chamolean Nation & Gallery Series ). 45 yr writing career. OAC grant. Combines poetry with music & visual art. League of Poets. Press Published?

Pat Andruchuck-Honours. lengthy publishing record. Awards.Better known outside Kingston. Canada Council Reader

Sister Peggy Flanagan - Uplifting poems part of community activism

Jennifer Londry- Moving, unusual writing. Frequent reader. Publications.

Jason Heroux- Witty stuff. Regular publications. Canada Council Poet.

Doug Roy-Publications. Inspires/edits anthologies. poetry group leader, 2 books, League of Poets member

Bonita Summers- press published? Active in poetry scene.

Hugh Barclay- Beautiful presentations. Work behind the scenes. press published?

Erin Foley - Poetry promos. Press published?

Mary Ellen Csamer – League of Poets including Ontario rep. Publications. Long history of work

Leah Browning, Publications, readings, League of Poets

Cory Mayhew, Several anthologies. Press published?

Jan Allen – Writer, Visual Artist, Curator, Poet. Publications
.
Clive Robertson?

Rielly Stares - anthologies, readings. Press published?

Others – (some may be Ottawa – please let me know): Armand Ruffo, Shane Rhodes, Terry Ann Carter, Ronnie Brown, Nicola Vulpe, Colin Morton, Blaine Marchand, Anne Le Dressary, John Rivers and Robert Colman.

Posted

POEMS OF THE LAUREATE CANDIDATES: Patience Wheatley, Joanne Page (more to come)

Rose — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:58:27 +0000

Patience Wheatley (From: A Hinge Of Spring)

A Hinge Of Spring

A blazing bird melted a twig’s
white cover-then there’s another
what can a cardinal want with winter
warming the snow and rock-grey grass?

cold binoculars fog over
I rub and the birds jump huge in the centre
of the round theatre below my birdfeeder

the red male observes the armoured pigeons
khaki sparrows, spike-furred squirrels

and swivels a princely black cat’s face
and quitely drops in the trodden circle
stands refulgent and splendid

startling the ruck he makes this country
in crimson majesty blesses our garden
and hinges spring open

Joanne Page (From Watermarks)

The Canon

The literature of snow is simple enough for fools
Like most its origin is oral, flake to flake you
might say. Largely Os and Us, its books have
a certain sameness making interpretation a matter
of conjecture. Authority of authorship has a similar
shifting nature blowing, as it were, in the wind.
Historical texts include those on Sugaring Off
in the Maple Bush and Home of the Penguin.
Tomes on Siberia have been withdrawn whereas
the permafrost set will soon be remaindered.

POEMS OF THE LAUREATE CANDIDATES – Carolyn Smart, P. S. Sri, Tom Vincent (MORE TO COME)

Rose — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 11:35:43 +0000

CAROLYN SMART – (From, ‘The Way To Come Home.’)

November: Frontenac County

Trees are dark fountains of grief
moaning, summer, summer
in damp and breathless voices
at the place where they pull free
from soil, piles of leaves weep
in their repetitious way,
a haven for nothing

Even the porcupine swings
its quills away in scorn
and continues its solitary parade
towards the frost and shelter

a doe with excitable ears
wide open for the hunter’s tread
stands in a sodden field
steam rising from its nostrils
as we pass, marvelling

All the flowers of summer in memory
we want to fill our cups
with potpourri and sleep
It is November and we yearn
for flight

P.S.Sri (From: Blue Heron Anthology)

Winter

Is.

Scarce a month ago
these trees that line the roadside
like sentinels awaiting inspection

ravished the eyes, a riot of colour-
bright orange and pale yellow,
a mottled brown, a hectic red.

NOW,

the first shiver of ice whistling in the wind
and snow-streamers albino-snaking across the ground,

defenseless and shorn they stand,
bare, gaunt, austere,

stretching forth a myriad skeleton arms to implore

A ghostly withering drapery.

Tom Vincent (From: Blue Heron Anthology)

Summer Passes
St. Andrews, New Brunswick

Watch
along the sea
and down among the granite

watch
along the margins
of the bay

watch
among the rushes

watch
where the waves say

hush
hush

POEMS OF THE LAUREATE CANDIDATES – FREQUENTLY UPDATED (Helen Humphreys, Michael Hurley, Eric Folsom)

Rose — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 23:23:51 +0000

(Gradually listing 1 poem per poet on the candidate lists)

Helen Humphreys (From ‘The Perils of Geography’)

Landscape on a Birthday

All day the ground is
restless with mud, glitching up
into hunchback bubbles
plotting the ruin of rocks

birds are sprinkled
against grey sky, speciks
of black pepper flung
up to find the sun

All day the wind is
a blunt hammer swinging
down the row of winter trees

The lake from the window
a stiff blue arm

Michael Hurley – (From: ‘Blue Heron Press Anthology’)

Haley Goes For A Swim (1st page)

You walk into the lake
as if entering a dream
a poem
that buoys you up
the deeper you descend
for you allow it
to enter you
to dream you.
It is assumed
you are half-fish
since of all your family
you remain
immersed
the longest
from 45 seconds
to a year
(for time & space-
those frauds-
curve and bend
like sumac or bamboo
in this world
as much as in outer space
or inner).
Your aunts and uncles,
grandfathers and brothers
you leave on shore
with your shoes
and everyday masks
but here you discover
yourself…

ERIC FOLSOM – (From: ‘What Kind Of Love Did You Have In Mind?’)

The Hills Speak Our Language

come dressed in sheets of water, veiled in glass
make gowns of energy and dress your hair with light
come and take morning for your given name

they brought my family Bible to the glacier’s edge
tossed it into the million-year-old-crevasse
and waited for the words to melt centuries later
for the ancient words to rush down rivers
and water orchards we’d dug with our fingernails
then the railroads came, tearing up the orchards
putting knives in every cake

I speak what I remember, the days are careful
the night has a warm place to sleep
the hills can speak our language of course
that is why they comfort us

and a parliament of starlings will gather
in the town where I once lived
they will eye gooseberries and hurry through
their discussion of lost love
no prophecy can describe the sound they make
as judgment comes forth

let the sunlight from under our tongues
heal your broken hands