Tower Poetry Society

Promoting poetry sine 1951

“Here be dragons” — Poetry Parlour — where poems come alive

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This Blog Post is co-written by Rebecca Clifford & Nicola Schneider.

This past Saturday (Feb. 22, 2025), we had 11 poets read their poetry out loud and 1 supporter.

… Where poets are encouraged to read aloud to the group. The general public is welcome to join as listeners or performers. These Saturdays are an opportunity for anyone looking to hone their public performance skills by delivering a dramatic reading in front of an audience without the critique context of the regular meetings. (The next one is Saturday, June 14, 2 – 4 pm @ Westdale Library.)

Rebecca’s Report: The Latin phrase hic sunt dracones means dangerous or unexplored territories, in imitation of a medieval practice of putting illustrations of dragons, sea monsters and other mythological creatures on uncharted areas of maps where potential dangers were thought to exist.

Poets who gathered for the Tower’s Poetry Parlour were not disappointed when it came to unexplored territories, mysteries, mythologies, knights (errant or otherwise) and heroes, dragons and other dangers. The works read stimulated all the senses and took us to worlds beyond our ken.

Myriad “thionic deities” watched as dawn rose, “lovely in awakening”.  Alliteration and imagery were thick on the ground, much to our delight.  Some poets went back to their youth when hearts and spirits were green and tender, where chaos can ensue all “because I sneezed”.  Some railed “against the chains of the sky” and the Damocles politics swinging south of the border with talons and dragon’s breath; some simply went there in the fantasies born of new imaginings; some responded to seminal poems with which we were already familiar; some cited silly works because, well, when things are as bad as they are these days, you just gotta laugh.

In every instance, we valued the words, and the voices we heard.  All in all, an afternoon well spent in good company.

Nicola Says: We welcome poetry lovers & supporters because it can be scary to share poems. I mean, talking in front of an audience can be scary. Period. But, poetry (Eeeeek!) — Because after all, the poems are parts of ourselves, and not always the most flattering parts.

The good news is that practice helps, and that is why Tower Poetry decided to try this out for the 2024-25 season. I have asked some TPS Members to share their tips for reading your poetry out loud… ta daaaa….

Tips from Tower Poet Members:

Jennifer Tan says: Above all, read as if saying it with feeling, like you care and really mean it.

From Rebecca Clifford, TPS Executive, Member-at-large, Ekphrastic Experience Coordinator, co-communications & all-‘round poetry pal…

For reading:

  • choose your pieces knowing your audience will be diverse
  • bring more pieces than you will likely recite; you can choose on the fly (esp. if someone recites something similar before you do)
  • practice reciting your pieces before the event
  • in your reading copy, put in strategic spaces and line breaks that will slow you down.
  • speak as if you’re in a large classroom, auditorium, and you don’t have a mic
    (it’s odd how many open mics don’t have mics)

For simply enjoying the event:

  • enjoy the offerings of other performers/reciters by being fully present for their performances
  • jot down words/phrases that capture your interest; it may spark something new in your own work.

Lisa Borkovich, TPS President advises: Whether my own or another poet’s work, I like to dramatize a reading by connecting emotionally with the words and their perceived meaning and then to convey that feeling by modulating my tone, volume and pacing. If appropriate, I also like to add body language and facial expression to further engage with the audience in order to elicit an emotional response in them.

Ed Woods, TPS Treasurer & Circulation Manager, suggests: Pretend you are at a gathering of friends and treat it as a casual test-drive of reading your poem aloud.

Three tips from the Downs (Trudi & G.W.):

  • Stand up – It’s better for your breathing and delivery; people can hear you better.
  • Slow down – Ears take time to hear what you say and then transmit the sound to the brain for decoding. Slow down your delivery to give your readers a chance to process what you are reading.
  • Speak out – Mumbled talking is most annoying to the listener. If your poem is worth reading, speak up so your audience can hear and enjoy your work. Try to project your voice so that the person farthest away from you can easily hear you.

Do you want extra practice? Here is Poetry Foundation’s “Ten Poems Students Love to Read Out Loud.“

Writer in Residence, Jennifer LoveGrove from Open Book (Ontario)
“A How-To Guide for Your Poetry Reading”

Orange County Poetry Out Loud Series: “Top 5 Poetry Performance Tips (Poetry Out Loud #3)”

Hamilton Public Library, Poems From Home, TPS Poets:

** Lisa Borkovich, This Escarpment

** Jennifer Dunlop

** Bernadette Rule

** Nicola Schneider (Mine are what not to do…. These were my first performances… `

 

The next TPS Poetry Parlour –> Saturday, June 14, 2 – 4 pm @ Westdale Library.

Tower Poet’s Talk is Back — and it didn’t disappoint!!

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Poet’s Talk, February 8, 2025 — with long-time TPS member, Bernadette Rule… “Seminal Poems: Poems that make People into Poets.”

Distinguished poet, Bernadette Rule, gave a brief talk on a poem’s effect on one’s creative spirit. As part of this interactive presentation, poets were invited to share a poem that had such an effect on them.

Bernadette asked, “What was the first (or one of the first) poems that taught you the power of poetry, and perhaps turned you toward writing?”  We were invited to come prepared to talk about a poem that stopped you in your tracks, made you wonder how the writer did that, how s/he created those effects.

“If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can warm me, I know that is poetry. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry. These are the only ways I know it. Is there any other way?”

― Emily Dickinson, Selected Letters

There were 17 folks in attendance!! — 3 TPS Execs., 8 members (including the Presenting Poet), & 6 non-member friends.

Bernadette’s friend, William Duane Tucker, passed away and left her his treasured book collection. She could tell that he loved his books as he seemed to involve them in his day-to-day rituals. They had notes in the margin and food and drink remnants throughout. The last book she opened ‘took the top of her head right off!!’ And, it sparked the idea for today’s workshop. The book was: “First Loves – Poets Introduce the Essential Poetry that Captivated & Inspired Them” (edited by Cormela Ciuraru).

Bernadette talked about certain poets and poems that had influenced her poetry journey. Then, she invited each participant, going around the room, to talk about what poems or poets had influenced them. Some poets (primarily teachers/professors) were readily able to cite certain portions of their seminal poems; others, read from notes and poems they had brought, and all talked about the effect that poets/poetry had had on them, on art they create, and work that they generated based on making/experiencing art; how events and experiences in their lives had informed their poetry journey.

Some of the works and poets cited through the discussions:

Robert Louis Stevenson 

Child’s Garden of Verses

Child’s Christmas in Wales

Dylan Thomas 

Lewis Carroll   —  Jabberwocky

Juvenile –  I’ve Never Seen a Purple Cow; Ted the Turtle (the origin of this one remains a mystery)

Jean Little – Growing Pains (“This made me feel like I wasn’t alone. It blew the top of my head off!” – N.S.)

Matthew Arnold  — Dover Beach

Nelson Ball

Melissa Allen’s site, veryshortpoetry.com (The Journal of Very Short Poetry – 25 syllables or less)

William Wordsworth  — I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

Homer, in Translation & Virgil in translation

Geothe

Rainer Maria Rilke (in German)

Paul Simon  — Sounds of Silence

What did Paul Simon say about sound of silence?
“The Sound of Silence was the first song I wrote which seemed to come from some place that I didn’t inhabit,” Simon tells The Guardian. “At age 23, it was unusual, well beyond my age and abilities. Then it happened again throughout my writing. Bridge Over Troubled Water was another song that came mysteriously.
From: themusicradar.com — Oct 4, 2024

Samuel Coleridge  —  Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Check out this Metal version by Iron Maiden)

Gerard Manley Hopkins, John McCrae, John Gillespie Magee (High Flight), and other war poets

Rod McKeun‘s poem “Gently, Gently”

World Poetry Café – Co-op Radio Station in Vancouver, BC (thanks to Ed for sharing – an interview will air on Feb. 13, 2025)

*** Bonus Resource: Definitions of Poetry ***

Whether people came to poetry early in life or later, there was always a poetic catalyst that got them started. We appreciate the participant’s eager participation. It was a neat opportunity to share in a way we don’t get to do in regular workshops. Thank you, again, Bernadette:)

Several people made connections afterwards and chatter continued outside the room and into the parking lot.

Upcoming:

  • AGH Ekphrastic poems due by February 10!
  • Poetry Parlour (open mic) — Saturday, February, 22, Westdale Library, 2 – 4 pm
  • TPS Summer 2025 submissions due February 28, 2025
  • next regular workshop — Saturday, March 8, Westdale Library, 2 – 4 pm
  • Come celebrate Poetry Month by visiting the AGH — Saturday, April 5 & 26, 1 – 4 pm — Tower poets will be onsite to read the poetry that the art inspired. (A booklet will be available of the poems for the month of April so you can read the poems at the same time you view the artwork that inspired them.) Note, the Reading Event is free, as the permanent collection (2nd floor) is free access (no admission).

 

POET: NORMAN BROWN & PENCIL ARTIST: MICHAEL WIWCZARUK

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The Final Dance

  • Click on poem and art to view clearer:

                    “The Human Soul needs to know it is Loved”
                    by Michael Wiwczaruk

 

 

Perhaps it’s fitting that this last PoARTry post comes during Arts Dundas Weekend — as this is the event that was the idea for the project in the first place. Each year, Tower Poets choose artworks made by Carnegie Gallery Member Artists that inspire them to create poetry. These are displayed together in Dundas store windows during the event. Artwalk: Join us on a guided tour as we stroll on Sunday, November 5th (meeting in front of Carnegie Gallery at 1:00 pm), experiencing the unique charm and small-town ambiance of Dundas’ quaint old downtown, as the poems are read aloud as we view the accompanying artwork.

Ekphrastic Poetry Explained…

Ekphrastic poetry explores a pre-existing work of art, expressing a visual medium in verbal form and expanding on the themes of the piece of art at hand. (Source: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/ekphrastic-poetry)

Is a picture really worth a thousand words? We, at Tower Poetry Society, along with textile artist Lorraine Roy, thought we’d see what would happen if we reversed the process… instead of words describing art, we decided to have art describing words…. Reverse Ekphrasticism(?)

POET: NORMAN BROWN

ABOUT THE POET:

Norman Brown is a Tower Poetry Society past president. He has published some poetry books. He has done at least one PoetTalk for Tower Poetry Society Members.

WHEN DID YOU START WRITING POETRY?

Can’t really remember exactly when, I think I have always written verse.  My eight line ‘City Streets’ doggerel  made it into my Grade Seven yearbook.

WHY DO YOU WRITE POETRY?

As I mentioned, I just always have written poetry.  (We’re talking about the process, right?) Lyrical Poetry, dealing with experience or emotion, is somewhat therapeutic.  Much of my poetry tells me about myself or my philosophy on life. As well  I write because it provides a mental challenge, getting those ideas down in words, and when successful there’s the satisfaction you get from making those stubborn thoughts and ideas behave properly. Plus, there’s the obvious satisfaction in having created something.

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED AND WOULD SHARE WITH NEW POETS?
  • Read the best!  Always keep reading other poetry.
  • Read your poem aloud to yourself as you are polishing it.
  • Workshop your poems.
  • Imitate.  (In a nice, legal sort of way.)
  • Carry a notebook or keep a diary.  Always keep an eye or an ear out for turns of phrases, contradictions, accents.
  • Listen to the voices of people around you, in crowds etc.
  • Keep your meaning clear.
CAN YOU COMMENT ON YOUR PROCESS?
  • Polish, polish, polish.
  • Hit ‘delete’ without feeling guilty.
  • I ‘web’ a lot to get started.
  • I get ideas from my trusty 1983 copy of Writing the Natural Way.
  • I look out my back window a lot for inspiration; so far, so good.

Norman says: “I have a boxful of A Failure of Flowers, my self published collection of poems for sale for the discerning purveyor.  New price,  $30.00 each, signed  (postage extra, usually about $5.00).

Photos from: https://towerpoetry.ca/poetryplus/

PENCIL ARTIST: MICHAEL WIWCZARUK

About the Artist:

Michael is Tamara Campbell’s (a previous contributor’s) son. He is currently in jail, so Tamara had to choose a poem for him, since he is not permitted access to a range of documents.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT POEM?

I did not personally choose this poem, but I did enjoy it. There were some aspects of the poem that were hard for me to express in the picture that I drew. I tried to understand the general message in the poem and paid attention to how it made me feel. I understand that everyone has a different perspective and that someone else might envision something totally different. Poems speak to each of us in different ways and spark thoughts and feelings based on all of our different experiences.

HAVE YOU DONE THIS KIND OF PROJECT BEFORE? WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN?

I have never done this type of project before, but I enjoyed the challenge of it and would probably do it again. I have previously thought of including poems with some of my sketches.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES? WHAT WAS EASY?

I found it hard to incorporate everything into the picture. I didn’t know how to express “perfumes of Zanzibar” and “swirls and eddies”. Again, I tried to express the poem in its entirety and portray how it made me feel.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PROCESS FROM IDEA TO FINISHED WORK? WHY THOSE COLOURS AND SHAPES?

I am currently incarcerated and so my materials are very simple as I only have access to stubby golf pencils (usually 2B). We don’t have pencil sharpeners, so I must sharpen them on the rough parts of the cement floor. First, I have to soak the pencil in water to dislodge the pencil lead so that I can pull it out to create a sharper point for fine details. The pencils are not art pencils and are low quality, but I have learned to make them work.

SIZE OF THE PIECE.  PRICE IF FOR SALE. WHERE IS IT AVAILABLE?

My drawing was done in pencil on 8.5×11″ paper, unmounted. It will be spray fixed to prevent smudging and will have a board backing to support it, but it is not framed or mounted.

It is for sale – $225.00

Please contact Tamara Campbell at tamarahcampbell@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing it.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?

I am very interested in realism and fine detail. My specialty is portraits. When you have to analyze someone so deeply, you come to see and recognize not only their beauty, but the beauty of the captured memory as well.

More Pencil Drawings:

Michael’s mother, Tamara Campbell speaks on his behalf… “This is one he did for his Grandfather (my Dad) showing Dad at 3 different stages in his life. One when he was about 9, as a soldier when he was about 18 and the third when he was 87. Michael loves doing meaningful portraits like this – showing different stages of a person’s life and important things in their lives. The house shown here is one that my Dad designed and built and has lots of good memories for my kids and myself.”

 

The Last Dance of PoARTry…

one last chance to read the poems;

one last chance to see the art… and then…??

I feel winter creeping in & it’s time to read the posts again, right here: https://towerpoetry.ca/blog/

 

DID YOU KNOW?     YOU CAN POP OVER TO OUR TOWER POETRY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DISCUSSION!

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS 10th & FINAL DANCE OF POETRY AND VISUAL ART.

POET: ALSHAAD KARA & GOLDSMITH and PRECIOUS METALS SCULPTURE ARTIST: LUCY ERSKINE

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A DANCE OF POETRY & ART…

  • Click on poem and art to view clearer:

“Beyond” by Lucy Erskine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

POET: ALSHAAD KARA

ABOUT THE POET:

Alshaad Kara is a Mauritian poet who writes from his heart. He won the 2023 “Zheng Nian Cup” Literary Award Third Prize. His latest poems were published in “The BeZine”, “Men Matters Online Journal” and “Slamming Bricks Anthology 3rd Edition”.

Instagram usernames: @alshaadkara1, @teamalshaadkara

 

 

When did you start writing poetry?

I started to write when I was 19 years old after a heartbreak.

Why do you write poetry?

I do not write ‘poetry’, I just write words of my heart and they build into poems. These accompany the melodies of the soul.

What is the best advice you have ever received and would share with new poets?

The best advice is to always write and speak from your heart. Remain authentic.

Can you comment on your process?

My process is a long journey in itself. Sometimes I just need to listen to Bollywood romantic songs since they are filled with pathos. Sometimes just watching a scene from a movie or a show can inspire me too, but the essential key is to experience life.

Anything else you wish to share?

Poetry is a journey that is different and charming. To be a poet is to breathe the truth of life and splash the spiritual peak into words and thoughts.

More poems to read here:

Poems by Alshaad Kara on Poetry Soup

Q&A with Alshaad Kara (The Suburban Review)

Poem: Multiverse – Alshaad Kara

 

GOLDSMITH & PRECIOUS METALS SCULPTURE ARTIST: LUCY ERSKINE

About the Artist:

The avenue I have taken in my work with precious metals has been directed toward artistic expression, sculpturally and in narrative concepts. Because of choices of Art rather than simply adornment, it has continued to be an enjoyable and challenging endeavour for me. The experimentation never stops, even after four plus decades. Experiences from living in urban, suburban and rural locales in Canada, from Montreal to Vancouver plus Sydney, Australia and London, UK have combined to shape a philosophy influenced by intense love of art, nature and living. What comes through my mind and hands has fortunately brought happiness and comfort to many people which is what I could only hope for.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT POEM?

As a good poem does, this conveys so much emotion within the limitation of words.  I have not had this experience directly.  My parents did when I was just over a year old, meaning it probably had an effect on me. I responded when I read it and felt I could do it justice using my form of art.

HAVE YOU DONE THIS KIND OF PROJECT BEFORE? WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN?

I have not done this particular type of project before but I have definitely had in mind narratives that I had wanted to convey by creating pictures using silver, gold, and gemstones before. Yes, I enjoy the challenges of this type of work.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES? WHAT WAS EASY?

The challenges involved the very small scale and the linear depiction on a flat surface, such as a pencil drawing might be, only using a jeweler’s saw to cut them out. Again, the quality of the poem was such that I wanted to treat it with reverence so that, too, was a challenge. What was easy is the fact that I have worked in this medium for over 46 years so while envisioning what could be done, my experience (of failures, since I am self-taught) provided me the answers to guide what could possibly be achieved. I did try some new techniques on this piece though.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PROCESS FROM IDEA TO FINISHED WORK? WHY THOSE COLOURS AND SHAPES?

This piece called for a background, which I have been exploring recently, of Suminagashi ink on mulberry paper. I used that right in the shadow box frame behind glass. I cut out some cloud shapes that are affixed as well. Because my field is jewelry, I made it into a neckpiece, although it can stay in the frame as is. The sterling chain was pinned into the foam core to hang. The beads are of clear quartz crystal stones which add to the cloud element I wanted. The baby in a basket-type of stamped impression of sterling silver is on a cloud shape and it is all done in layers sawed out and then soldered together with a small torch. That is considered Construction Technique, very old methods, as opposed to any melting down or casting.

SIZE OF THE PIECE.  PRICE IF FOR SALE. WHERE IS IT AVAILABLE?

$300 — contact artist, Lucy Erskine, @ideabyersk on Instagram.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?

My first Solo show was at the Carnegie Gallery in Dundas and was called “Narratives Through an Unexpected Medium” which included some of these pieces (below). My later solo was Sept 2022 which also had some of these pieces pictured. I have a continuing display case there too. Check her out on the Carnegie’s Website. Enjoy some of her pieces below:

Oak Longstanding

Sculptural Amethyst

Protected Egg

On the Road Again

Sculptural Persistence

Bird’s Eye View of City and Bridge

 

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS 9th DANCE OF POETRY AND VISUAL ART.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

DID YOU KNOW?     YOU CAN POP OVER TO OUR TOWER POETRY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DISCUSSION!

POET: TONY GIANATTI & JEWELERY ARTIST: MARIE SINCLAIR

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A DANCE OF POETRY & ART…

  • Click on poem and art to view clearer:

Hamilton-theme Jewelry by Marie Sinclair

POET: TONY GIANATTI

ABOUT THE POET:

This poet remains a mystery to me.

You can check out 9 more of his poems:

https://www.poemhunter.com/tony-giannotti/

 

JEWELRY ARTIST: MARIE SINCLAIR

About Marie

I’m an artist, and on top of Emotional Clutter I also work for 2 incredible organizations @recreateartstudio and @k33ping6

I’m a big fan of my dog 🐶, Hamilton, and authenticity.
My favourite poet is Emily Dickinson.
My favourite author is Jodi Picoult.
My favourite artist is Vincent Van Gogh because what a story right? Relatable.
My favourite dessert is Peanut Butter chocolate anything.

Why did you choose that poem?

I chose the poem about Bayfront Park because this specific place in the city is  mere minutes from my apartment and has been a healing space for me over the past few years. I also feel much joy for my Hamilton home, despite the many struggles we are facing today, and feel the Poem celebrated and shared this sentiment. The imagery in the poem really stood out to me and gave me concrete ideas for how to turn this piece into a collection of jewelry.

Have you done this kind of project before? Would you do it again?

I’ve never participated in anything like this before and I loved the exercise of it. I look forward to future PoARTry projects.

Can you tell us a bit more about your process from idea to finished work? Why those colours and shapes?

There’s a juxtaposition at Bayfront of nature and man-made and I tried to capture this grit and grace in the series. I used Colours reflective of the water and sky, but also various shades of grey for cement, fog, and factories. There are even bits of burning red embers glinting out from the dark shapes of the factory structure.

Anything else you’d like to share?

This collection was one of a kind and is sold, I will be remaking a similar collection although due to the handmade nature of the pieces, no two are ever exactly alike.

Marie is also a Tower Poetry Member and her poetry was featured in May’s PoARTry post. You can find out more about Marie:

Website: www.emotionalclutter.ca (Many lovely pieces for sale.)

Instagram: @emotional_clutter_jewelry

Here is a sampling of her Art and jewelry…

 

 

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS 8th DANCE OF POETRY AND VISUAL ART.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

DID YOU KNOW?     YOU CAN POP OVER TO OUR TOWER POETRY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DISCUSSION!

 

 

 

POET: GERTRUDE OLGA DOWN & MOSAIC ARTIST: HEATHER VOLLANS

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A DANCE OF POETRY & ART…

  • Click on poem and art to view clearer:

 

       

“An Orchard of Oaks” by Heather Vollans

POET: Gertrude Olga Down

About the Poet:

Gertrude (Trudi) Olga Down has been writing and reading poetry since she was a young child. She began to write with more commitment after joining The Tower Poetry Society in 1981.

Typically using a free verse style, Trudi’s poetry offers personal insights on the human condition, and on nature and love. She strives to present these word pictures in poetry that is accessible to all readers.

When did you start writing poetry?

I was quite young when I became interested in poetry and, like most children, enjoyed the rhythm and rhyme of the poems which we read in public school. From an early age I also was fascinated by the sound of words and intrigued by how a word’s meaning could change based on where words were placed in a sentence or how emphasis could change the meaning. My first poems were mostly about nature and animals. When I started reading a variety of poetic styles in high school and university, I began to move towards a freer style of writing, and expanded and diversified themes to include philosophy, relationships, and politics.

Why do you write poetry?

I write poetry to explore a theme or expand upon a “word picture” in my mind that I feel does not translate well into prose. I like the challenge of working with the theme or picture, shaping the poem so that the ideas flow and the imagery is clear. I write poetry because I truly believe it is a wonderfully unique style of communication; the poet has to get his or her “message” across in a few words, in short lines, and in a manner that is both engaging and informative. To me, poetry is very different from prose. That’s why I don’t write “prose poems” – I don’t see the point! Over the years I’ve learned that a poem can “speak” to the reader in different ways. What I try to communicate through a poem may be understood very differently by a reader; I think that’s fascinating!

What is the best advice you have ever received and would share with new poets?

Other than school and workshops, I’ve never taken any formal writing courses. One thing I can mention: over the years I’ve learned that poets need to realize when a piece is overwritten. Poetry is not like prose; the poet should not tell or explain everything. In poetry, it’s important to use language, metaphor, and simile to give the reader an insight into the poem, without being absolutely clear. I really like the advice provided by a former Editor-in-chief of Tower Poetry who said, “Be obscure, clearly”! Because workshops are done with a group of like-minded writers, they can provide great insight for the poet as to whether the poem “works”. The comments that arise out of these group sessions benefit not only the poet/poem under discussion, but everyone in attendance. I’ve received many excellent tips and suggestions from TPS workshop sessions that have helped me improve as a writer of poetry.

Can you comment on your process?

I enjoy the challenge of putting into verse what someone else might write as prose. It is exhilarating to work similes and metaphors into a poem and realize that they are working well, providing the mind pictures that help the reader understand the poem. I also like to play around with sounds and alliterations. It’s also important to me that the shape of the poem fits the theme or mood. I don’t mean that I write “shaped” poems; I mean that the stanza breaks are consistent; that lines are a suitable length and include a rhythm that continues throughout the poem; that the lines read such that they provide direction to the reader as to what the focus of the poem is all about. I’m not a fan of line breaks that jar or seem inappropriate to the flow of the reading of the poem. I write a poem from a particular point of view, but I also try to write the piece so that it can have universal appeal and be appreciated by a wide readership. I rarely “put myself” into my poetry.

More Gertrude Olga Down poems:

https://towerpoetry.ca/poetryplus/f-Trudi.html

She has poetry in this collection: https://www.lummoxpress.com/lc/product/tamaracks/

MOSAIC ARTIST: HEATHER VOLLANS

About Heather’s Artwork (from her website): “The biggest influence in my work is texture – my upbringing in Australia, my years travelling, especially in the Middle East and Europe have stayed with me and play a major role in my work.  Working in construction for years I saw so much texture – metals, ceramics, wood, concrete etc – but also much waste and too much going to landfill!  Since my teenage years I’ve had a passion for making things from discarded materials.  I tried my hand at many things, including decoupage, paper mache, wood finishing, patchwork quilting – always giving new life to old materials.  My passion for mosaic is influenced from these beginnings and continues to fire me.”

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT POEM?

The idea of the oak trees as sentinels drew me in.  I have such beautiful memories of wandering through oak orchards and feeling their awesome wonder, ancient-ness and connectedness with us.  The poem truly spoke to this.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PROCESS FROM IDEA TO FINISHED WORK? WHY THOSE COLOURS AND SHAPES?

I knew immediately I wanted to use the long slivery shards of slate to portray the oak branches, and to keep the design simple to emphasise the trees.  I also wanted it soft, not blingy to befit the subject of the poem.  My initial experiment was with small rounds of coloured glass to give the idea of the graves next to the pathway, but glass was way too strong and took away from the texture of the slate.  So, I eventually settled on the white sand background and the simple pathway with tiny pebbles.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES? WHAT WAS EASY?

It was quite the journey. I guess it is new concept for me, but I kept my materials familiar. I usually work in abstract but wanted to represent real oaks. It was tough! The shape did not work for sooo long. Trying to portray the trees’ long majestic hanging branches was really difficult – mostly because I usually work not ‘picturely” I’m sure. Responding to any subject I find incredibly hard and ‘picturely‘, almost impossible.  But again I ‘enjoyed’ the challenge; wanted to push myself out of my own self-imposed boundaries.

Have you done this kind of project before? Would you do it again?

I did this project last year thanks to Lorraine and I wanted the challenge again.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I love everything about this collaboration between artists.  Finding common ground between artists is truly valuable and we should do more of it!  We all also need to be challenged and for me at least, this kind of collaborative project certainly does that.  Working through this artwork also brought back many beautiful memories of wanderings through oaks and I thought a lot about how precious they are to us and how emotionally connected we are to trees.  Aaah, that beautiful process!  My thanks to Gertrude Olga Down for being inspired to write such a beautiful poem and to Lorraine Roy for facilitating such a wonderful collaborative project.

SIZE OF THE PIECE. HOW IS IT MOUNTED?  PRICE IF FOR SALE. WHERE IS IT AVAILABLE?

It’s mounted on wediboard which is a lightweight Styrofoam product sandwiched between thin layers of cement.  Great for working on projects that can end up quite weighty.  Price $150  Available at Dawning Décor Studio, in Brantford.  905 667 4271

Title: An Orchard of Oaks

Size:  8”x8”

Materials: slate and pebbles.

 

More Heather Vollans…

Here are some more works…

  1. “North Shore Breezes”
  2. “Red Gold”
  3. “take those chances”
  4. “Undercurrent”

 

     

 

 

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS SEVENTH DANCE OF POETRY AND VISUAL ART.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

POETS, stay tuned… we will open up submissions towards the end of 2023. As for what will happen with PoARTry, we don’t know.

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

DID YOU KNOW?     YOU CAN POP OVER TO OUR TOWER POETRY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DISCUSSION!

Note to Tower Poetry Members — You are invited to head over to the Carnegie Gallery in Dundas to choose art from the Members’ Exhibit that may inspire you to create a poem for Artwalk, part of Arts Dundas Week 2023. Please submit your poems no later than SEPTEMBER 12th. Complete details are found in the email sent out on Aug. 5. * Note: if you aren’t a member, it’s easy to become one. Simply head on over to our Membership page!

“In Other Worlds” – A Carnegie Gallery Exhibit – Safe havens for a weary soul

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This exhibition features the colourful textiles of established Hamilton artist and Carnegie Gallery Artist Member, Lorraine Roy. Beyond her well-known imagery of trees and the Canadian wilderness, these new imaginary landscapes also include charming cottages, fanciful islands and cheery animals. They suggest a more lighthearted and uplifting approach to provide “safe havens for a weary soul”. The exhibition also features the poetry of Jennifer Lynn Dunlop.

 

Lorraine Roy website: lroyart.com to view the artworks alongside the poetry.

 

 

 

Wow! – See websites in this post for a closer look!

 

Poet, Jennifer Lynn Dunlop

Being familiar and a fan of both textile artist Lorraine Roy and the poet that inspired many of her current works, Jennifer Lynne Dunlop, I knew I was in for a treat when I viewed the current Carnegie Gallery exhibit “In Oher Worlds – Safe havens for a weary soul.” I was certainly not disappointed, and, in fact, I was even more impressed than I even imagined – I was blown away. At first glance, the pieces are a stunning cornucopia of vibrancy; colours beckoned me into Roy’s world. Upon a closer look, I noticed the precise stitching details of each piece of fabric that comes together to form each whole gorgeous piece. As a mixed media artist, I am awestruck that Roy manages to achieve such detailed representations of nature through her medium of textiles. (I mean, I even struggle to sew on a button, but I can fussy cut!)

About Lorraine Roy

From Lorraine Roy’s Artist’s statement, I learned that Roy has a formal education in Horticultural Science, so it makes sense that she creates pieces featuring nature. She “creates imagery that evokes the intimate connection we have with the natural world.” Drawing viewers attention to “the intimate webs that connect trees, fungi and animals, revealing that our earth is a living breathing organism” has become more and more vital in these current times. Roy is a true Earth Hero! (As is Dunlop through her poetry!) Lorraine Roy states, “With all my work, my intention is to arouse emotional connection by shining a warm light on Nature’s unseen forces.”

Tower Poetry Society member, Jennifer Lynn Dunlop’s poetry is always a delight to read. Through her words, she can transport the reader to the place in nature where she stood to compose her poems; to the place that Lorraine Roy depicts in her visual interpretations of the poems.

I spoke with Jennifer, “It (the process) was interesting.” She told me that Lorraine created about half of the pieces of art based on Dunlop’s poetry, and she wrote some new poems based on the art that Roy created. What a connection; a symbiotic relationship; a truly beautiful thing when artists and their mediums collide and it leads to a boom of creativity! Collaboration at it’s finest!

Speaking of collaboration… this past year, Lorraine Roy has worked with Tower Poetry Society to present, PoARTry – a dance of visual art & poetry – an online exhibit with a new artist/poet pair featured in the TPS Blog on the first Saturday of each month. Poets created poems, as poets do! Then, artists each selected a poem that called to them and inspired artwork in their medium of choice. Artists, there are still poems left if you want in on this fun project. Check it out here!

I certainly hope we see a book out from these two talented ladies! Check out the “In Other Worlds” Exhibit at Carnegie Gallery in Dundas for yourself and get transported into the magical world of nature in this “safe havens for a weary soul”.

The exhibit is on until July 30th, so there’s still time!

In August, Tower Poetry members are invited to select an Artwork from the Carnegie Gallery members exhibit for Artwalk (part of Arts Dundas Weekend) in November. Details will be along soon, members! Learn how you can become a member, too.

Written by Nicola Schneider.

POET: D. Le DOAN & TEXTILE ARTIST: BECKY MENZIES

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A DANCE OF POETRY & ART…

 

“Falling to Pieces” – Becky Menzies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

POET: D. Le DOAN

Dinh Le Doan

About the Poet:

Dinh Le Doan is a Canadian residing in Beaconsfield, Québec. He has worked as an engineer and manager at a high-tech company in Montréal. He now devotes his time to writing poetry. His poems have appeared in Tower Poetry Publications, Montréal Serai, and Devour: Art & Lit Canada.

When did you start writing poetry?

I started writing poetry in 2006—but only after I had learned words and syntax from the novel “Brideshead Revisited” in 2005, and from literary books in the local library later.

Why do you write poetry?

I would like to quote the article by Halyna Koba in the Tower Poetry Newsletter dated January 2023…

WHY Dinh Le Doan WRITES POETRY

By Halyna Koba…

When Dinh Le Doan retired, his wife, Phung, suggested out of the blue that he is a poet. This was not the first time. While they were both students in Sydney, Australia, 33 years ago, Phung read a piece written in Vietnamese by Le (as he is usually addressed). She hadn’t known who had written it, since a pen name was used. She thought the writing carried feelings and sounded like poetry.

With her encouragement, Le, who had worked as an engineer in Sydney and Montreal, began writing poetry and was published by Tower Poetry. He commented, “That encouraged me a great deal to continue on this path.”

What is the best advice you have ever received and would share with new poets?

I can’t imagine any writing without reading, reading, reading.

Can you comment on your process?

Keep writing and a miracle will happen.

More Dinh Le Doan poems:

https://montrealserai.com/article-tags/dinh-le-doan/

My wife took this photo of Tower Poetry’s poets listening to the “Colours of Grey” poem, which was read by the author, at the 60th anniversary in 2011. I wish to share this photo as it may have special sentimental values to some.

(You can view more archived photos and content, here.)

 

 

TEXTILE ARTIST: BECKY MENZIES

Becky Menzies is a Canadian artist living in Thorndale, Ontario. Inspired at a young age by the artistry and academia of her mother, Becky’s relationship with creativity continues to this day as she explores her imaginative nature through various medium such as textile art, mobile (digital) art, fused glass art, and painting (En Plein Air).

Becky has recently begun to experiment with ways of incorporating two or more types of art medium and use vintage family photos to reflect her views of a reimagined world, often through her abstracted representations. Her art attempts to capture her responses to the environment and the people she meets along her life’s journey.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT POEM?

The title of D. Le Doan’s poem “Colours of Grey” initially suggested an image filled with various calming tones and textures of the colour grey. However, once I dove into the poem, I was swept up by the great movement and rich colours, beyond grey, that Le Doan incorporated into the poem.

My husband and I recently moved to a small rural town and into a home that has ready access to a creek and wooded area. During the winter seasons, I have been intrigued by how much of nature’s colours can actually be seen through the overwhelming amount of white and grey.

For me, Le Doan’s words seemed to capture this winter intrigue of mine, and I began to wonder whether I could capture the same in a piece of textile quilt art.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PROCESS FROM IDEA TO FINISHED WORK? WHY THOSE COLOURS AND SHAPES?

The initial part of the creative process included outdoor walks, taking photographs, some very loose sketching of possible ideas, and hunting for fabrics, trim, etc. that might work well together. The “hunting grounds” included my own collection of items, as well as thrift stores and fabric stores.

I had also just completed an online stitching course that included the use of fabric paints, mark-making and stitching to create a small abstract. Using some of the same techniques from the online course, I created small individual grey and white abstract-shaped pieces and used them in the background.

The leaves and flowers were cut out from two different fabrics and appliquéd to the piece. With more time and practice using fabric paints, I might consider in the future painting the leaf and flower images onto fabric myself.

The different layers used included batting, the individual stitched pieces, the leaf and flower appliqués, multiple layers of different tulle, and coloured stitching.

The entire piece was sewn together using free motion stitching.

Buttons were finally added for additional visual interest.

Close Up 1

Close-Up 2

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES? WHAT WAS EASY?

Creating for me is like riding a series waves. These waves undulate between “aha” moments during which a sense of ease flows for a while until a wave of “hmmm, that’s not working for me” arrives and off-project experiments begin which help me find the next “aha” moment.

Colours can become quite muted and dull when grey is added. The challenge was to create an image that attempted to show the impact of slow, wet snow on nature’s colours, as Le Doan described, without completely losing the colour and depth of nature’s shapes.

In terms of ease, I enjoy working in layers. I am also a mobile phone artist. In this medium, I use multiple layers of digital effects to create hidden backgrounds, or double exposures to manipulate the colours of an original photograph. Using a quilt art approach to create this piece, I was easily able to work with different layers to achieve the dimension and depth I was seeking.

Have you done this kind of project before? Would you do it again?

Not having done this kind of project before, I had to keep reminding myself that it was okay to create my interpretation of the poem as opposed to creating something that I thought the poet or others had imagined.  It was a very good creative exercise, and I would do it again.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I’d like to extend a huge thank you to the Tower Poetry Society and Lorraine Roy for supporting this artistic collaboration. Participating in the event was thoroughly enjoyable! I look forward to seeing the remainder of this year’s joint artistic submissions and participating in next year’s PoARTry event.

SIZE OF THE PIECE. HOW IS IT MOUNTED?  PRICE IF FOR SALE. WHERE IS IT AVAILABLE?

The completed piece, “Falling to Pieces,” was stretched onto a 16″ x 20″ canvas and secured into a 1/2″ floating frame. The piece is not currently available for sale.

More Becky Menzies…

Instagram: @polarexpress.0

Facebook: Becky Menzies

Recent mobile art piece using a family vintage wedding photo: “Flower Girls”

 

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS FIFTH DANCE OF POETRY AND VISUAL ART.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

POETS, stay tuned… we will open up submissions towards the end of 2023. As for what will happen with PoARTry, we don’t know.

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

DID YOU KNOW?     YOU CAN POP OVER TO OUR TOWER POETRY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DISCUSSION!

Poem in my Pocket Day

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#NaPoWriMo is almost over. It doesn’t matter whether you will achieve 30 poems in 30 days, or you’ve just checked it out for the first time, or you now know of a fun resource to use if you ever want to get a month of motivation for writing poetry. I have managed to engage in poetry most days, by at least reading some of the poems that other people wrote inspired by the prompts at https://www.napowrimo.net/ or diving into the poetic resources shared throughout the month.

Today, Thursday, April 27, 2023 is Poem in My Pocket Day!

The League of Canadian Poets exists to support poets and poetry in Canada, just like we do at Tower Poetry Society Hamilton. Poem in Your Pocket Day is an international movement that encourages people to center poetry within their daily interactions. On PIYP Day, select a poem, carry it with you, and share it with others at schools, bookstores, libraries, parks, workplaces, coffee shops, street corners, and on social media using the hashtag #PocketPoem.

The site features a collection of poems to celebrate poetry in 2023. You can read them online, listen to an audio recording, or even print out a handy booklet to make sharing poems even easier! Check it out here: https://poets.ca/programs/pocketpoem/

The site includes links to French poems and many ways to celebrate. But really, any day can be Poem in Your Pocket Day!

Sing a Song about it with Emily Arrow: https://youtu.be/oxF0nB8ZzXQ

PS. PoARTry Dance #4 will be posted on Saturday, May 6!!

POET: REBECCA CLIFFORD & MIXED MEDIA ARTIST: NICOLA SCHNEIDER

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A DANCE OF POETRY & ART…

“Fame is in the Song”

 

POET: REBECCA CLIFFORD

When did you start writing poetry?

I started stitch together words at an early age.  Fascinated by gems such as “Jabberwocky”, I sought to create words of my own.  Constance Metcalf, my high school English teacher encouraged me further, and I’ve never lost the itch to stitch words together.

Why do you write poetry?

I could give you an esoteric diatribe about instilling social justice, changing the world, righting a multitude of wrongs AND although I truly believe that words can affect all of these things, it will take better voices than mine to achieve such things.

What is the best advice you have ever received? 

I receive comments at the poetry workshops I attend, and pondering such remarks serves to make me a better writer.  (Like participating in a Tower Poetry Society workshop! More info here!) However, the best advice I’ve found is to read and absorb the works of others – not just poetry.  For me, I turn to P.K. Page, Marilyn Gear Pilling, Carol Shields, Alice Munro, John Steffler, Guy Gavriel Kay, Anne Simpson to list off the top of my noggin. And, I do tend to center my reading on Canadian poets.  There’s nothing wrong with trying to channel Bliss Carmen, Archie Lampman, or Wilfred Campbell, but finding one’s own voice is an ongoing journey.

What is the best advice you’ve followed?

That I create and write to please myself.  Changing a word or line you love because a more seasoned poet said it should be so, isn’t true if it doesn’t work for you.  Writing to please others can drive a writer into an early grave.

Can you comment on your process?

The creative work of others inspires me to write – art, music, dance, theatre, good oratory.  Silence, or the lack thereof, also provokes my creative juices.  Isolated thinking brings out thoughts on life, death, politics, social justice – the whole gamut.  I live rurally, and nature provides much fodder for the pencil.  And I do use a pencil… also the backs of envelopes, parking tickets, and grocery receipts.  I write words, snippets, phrases down wherever and whenever inspiration finds me. Examples are the way I feel hearing the coyotes howl, the wind race, cash registers singing in a supermarket, voices and smells at the market, at the bakery.  I’ve found that waiting till I have a notebook in hand means I’ll lose something vital.  And that drives me nuts.

 

 

 

MIXED-MEDIA ARTIST: NICOLA SCHNEIDER

 

I am on the executive council of Tower Poetry Society, as Web Coordinator, which is kind of strange because I know not much of web coordinating and am a mere novice at poetry, but as it were, and continues to be…

Check me out at:

EverydayArtEveryDay.com

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT POEM?

In general, the subject matter immediately called to me. I have taken several photographs of dragonflies and thought I could use them in my piece. Further readings cemented my choice. Rebecca’s poetic language swirled around in my brain. I love to chill out in the summer by watching “dragonflies stitch the air, sketch lines of elegant directness.” Upon further study, the poem’s deeper meanings came through. The opening quote that  influenced the poet to write this poem, and the poem itself, features several musical references. I love the lyrical quality of the poem and aimed to show this in my piece.

The original quote from Hippocrates, “Life is short, art is long” meant… that it takes a lifetime to hone a craft, i.e., gain skills and knowledge, and that since life is short, many don’t reach a ‘fame’ status in a lifetime. Hence, in the past, folks tended not to gain fame until they were dead. That kind of sucks, so…

Here is my interpretation, which is a concept that I try to apply to my art: Enjoy the journey. “The success is in the silences.” If the process brings joy, then fame doesn’t matter. “Fame is fleeting” just as a dragonfly’s entire life cycle is “ephemeral.” Dragonflies don’t care (or even realize) how short their lives are. Even if your “song” or poem or art doesn’t get out into the world and appreciated – reach “fame” – you can still have success in the play and exploration; in the joy that the process brings.

CAN YOU TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PROCESS FROM IDEA TO FINISHED WORK? WHY THOSE COLOURS AND SHAPES?

My current practice is based on the stARTs process shared by New Zealand Intuitive Mixed Media Artist, Judy Woods. Artist Judy Woods – abstract art (judywoodsart.work). Previously, I’ve followed her process by not purposefully thinking of any sort of end goal. This time I thought I meditated on the poem throughout the entire process. I pulled out phrases that inspired imagery that I could use in my artwork (the sparks). Hence, the dance of poetry and art. Next, I recorded these key words and sketch pictures on my surface to guide the piece. This is the first underlayer to be covered up with many layers. “What happens in the underlayer stays in the underlayer.”

               

This is a summary of the process…

  • I work in sets.
  • In beginning layers à I have fun. Play. Explore. I ask, “What if?”
  • I aim to be brave. Nothing is precious; if I don’t like it, I can simply paint over it. If I don’t love something, I ask, “What’s the opposite?” and do that. Learning what I don’t love is just as important in moving my practise forward as knowing what I do love.
  • I am learning to embrace ugly.
  • Principle of differences. I always ask, “What is the opposite of…?” I use the knowledge of elements/principles to create both subtle and strong contrasts.
  • In middle layers the ‘heroes’ (or focal points that I love) will start to be revealed.
  • In end layers, I emphasize those heroes. This is what my piece is about. I ensure there is contrast, some quieter spaces.
  • I often come back to the art to look with fresher eyes after several weeks, or months.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES? WHAT WAS EASY?

The process took a while to trust. Ultimately, it brings freedom to my art-making. The idea is both scary and freeing. Scary because it was a whole new way to think. Freeing because if I don’t like something, I can cover it up. My focus is on the journey. The journey is a marathon, not a sprint. When I don’t focus on the result (the finished product), I feel less anxious, and I can take more risks in my art. I have removed expectations.

Knowing when the art is finished is always a challenge for me. Having a deadline was helpful.

Also, since I had several pieces inspired by the poem, it was difficult to choose just one for submission. I decided on one for submission and there are 3 more in the series, each given the title of the last line of each stanza in Rebecca’s poem:

  1. “Life is Brief”

2. “Art is Long”

3. Submission: “Fame is in the Song”

4. “Success in the Silences”

Have you done this kind of project before? Would you do it again?

I have written poems inspired by artworks for Carnegie Gallery‘s and Tower Poetry’s annual Artwalk, and for the PoARTry this time and last time. This is my first visual art submission… ever. I am looking forward to doing it again next year!

Anything else you’d like to share?

Art is for everyone.

This is my view on art-making. Everybody IS an Artist. 1. Art is easy. 2. Practice makes better. 3. Be YOU. 4. Make Ugly Art & make mistakes. 5. Have fun. Now, go make Art, Human:)

Read my complete Art Philosophy here: Everyone IS an Artist – Speech – Everyday Art Every Day

More Nicola:

https://www.instagram.com/everydayart.every.day/

 

SIZE OF THE PIECE. HOW IS IT MOUNTED?  PRICE IF FOR SALE. WHERE IS IT AVAILABLE ?

Framed 22″ x 18″

Artwork size 14″ x 11″

* Contact nicolaschneiderisawesome@gmail.com

 

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS THIRD DANCE OF POETRY AND VISUAL ART.

ARTISTS, there are poems still available to choose from and time to get in on the project… https://towerpoetry.ca/po-art-ry-poems/

POETS, stay tuned… we will open up submissions towards the end of 2023. As for what will happen with PoARTry, we don’t know.

This is an organic project, and we are thinking of a possible exhibit or publication. Who knows?! What we do know is that we have a lot of exciting work by talented poets and artists to share with you each month!

 

DID YOU KNOW?     YOU CAN POP OVER TO OUR TOWER POETRY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR DISCUSSION!