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Letter to a Poet
A monthly column in Cobourg Now: A Local News Magazine.
Each month features a poem by a local poet and a letter to the poet about poetry and life. My hope is that we can connect more readers to our wonderful poets and that we can encourage people to write poetry.
Each month a link to the column will be added here:
- Poetry is About Discovery (Jenni Burke)
- Poetry is About Connection (Marion Fuessel)
- Reading Poetry Can Connect Us (Doug Langille)
- Story is at the Heart of Poetry (Gwynn Scheltema)
- The Gifts of Poetry in Community (James Pickersgill)
- Poetry Inspired by Geese (Marie-Lynn Hammond)
- Talking to Cats, Birds & Myself (Linda Hutsell-Manning)
- April is National Poetry Month (Antony Di Nardo)
- Poetry is Summertime (Katie Hoogendam)
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Lessons from the Earth: Poetry eChapbbook
Happy Earth Day!
It was such a joy to put together this eChapbook featuring poetry and images for Earth Day 2021. Each year celebrating Earth Day feels more vital. We are blessed to live on such a beautiful, abundant planet. On Earth Day we express our gratitude and we renew our commitment to care for our Earth. This eChapbook is a collection of poetry and images exploring the theme: Lessons from the Earth.
We can learn something new every day when we pay attention. Thank-you so much to the contributors for generously sharing their talents. Thank-you to our readers for giving your time to reflect on the environment.
With this project, we also celebrate National Poetry Month.
Watch some of the contributors read their work!
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From the Cottage Porch: An Anthology About Cottage Life in Ontario
Edited by Jessica Outram and Ewa Krynski.
Picnicking on the rocks of Georgian Bay, relocating an outhouse in Muskoka, or catching tadpoles at Algonquin Park: From the Cottage Porch captures the spirit of cottage country in Ontario. Imagine the day unfolding from your favourite Adirondack chair on the porch. The anthology begins with the sounds of sunrise and moves through the dynamic and surprising events of morning, afternoon, evening and night at the cottage.
This beautiful anthology about the cottage features the talents of 31 outstanding writers from across Ontario. The 43 stories, memoirs and poems are organized using the passing of time at the cottage. From the dewey, crisp mornings filled with birdsong to long afternoons on the water to lively evenings spent around the campfire, the book moves from sunrise to sunset.
Available at Let’s Talk Books in Cobourg, Ontario. Over 600 copies sold!
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Introducing Cobourg Present: An eChapbook of Poetry
It began as a weekly Poetry Present delivered to your inbox. We continue to connect as a community in that way. Poets who share a connection to Cobourg and the surrounding area submit poems.
After nearly two years of this project, it was time to expand. Poetry Invites was introduced in January 2021. This invites all poets from anywhere to be inspired by our town and the things we value here. Each month a new prompt is emailed to our Poetry Present list.
Cobourg Present launched on February 1, 2021 and is the product of the monthly prompts. It will continue to grow throughout the year so be sure to check this link each month.
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Lessons from the Métis Sash
In November I was invited to participate in some sharing in our school board for our Indigenous People’s Awareness Month. I decided to begin with my family’s story, showing how they moved and adapted from the fur trade to today. I wanted to post the talk here so my family would be able to easily access it.
The talk was delivered on Google Meet and then posted on the board’s YouTube channel alongside the videos of other guests so classes could go back and access it when needed.
The sash is a symbol of the history of the Métis. I am proud of my heritage and look forward to continuing to learn more.
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Poetry Invites: Inspired by Cobourg
What is Poetry Invites?
Cobourg is a dynamic town filled with landscapes, people, and places that inspire. Let’s use our town to inspire poetry we can share!
Encouraging others to create is an important part of my mission as Poet Laureate. The goal of Poetry Invites is to invite anyone who is interested (from here or anywhere) to write poetry inspired by our town.
Poetry is good medicine! All the prompts will be easy to access safely while we navigate our way through COVID-19 protocols. Most prompts will be outdoors or utilize online resources. The prompts will be an invitation to reflect on a theme, a place, or idea. You can write the poem in any form you choose!
Let’s join together and write in community! Engage in the prompts, share your poems, and then read the poems of others!
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To Stand on the Family Rock
I wanted to stand next to Gereaux Island Lighthouse, my feet on the rock my ancestors stood upon for so many years. I dreamed to see Georgian Bay from their perspective. What did Grandpa notice here growing up as a child? How can I see through his eyes? How can I learn about living on an island?
This summer everything aligned beautifully. We finally docked our boat and took a self-directed tour of Gereaux Island. For over 60 years my ancestors lived on this land, fed from these waters. My Grandfather grew up living here. Today, my parents live about 1 km away.
Vibrant energy. Time disappeared. The sun, breeze, and waves all sang the same song: welcome home. How can a place hold so much?
The island felt bigger on shore than looking at it from the water. It was hot when I thought it would be cool. My feet ached to memorize each step, each crevice in the granite. My eyes squished to gaze through the walls of the house and tower to imagine life inside. Unfortunately, the building was closed. The Coast Guards told us everything has been stripped inside and it’s unsafe for people to enter.
I took home a piece a granite to remember this visit, to hold onto the energy. We will visit again. This island has more lessons and stories for me to learn.
Here are some pictures from the visit:
Gereaux Island Lighthouse
