Greetings in transformative times. Fascism threatens, the death machine rages, autumn colour-screams its warnings through the thinnest of veils. To narrow down to my slice of life: my phone fell from a rollercoaster, I am having nightmares of my kiddo dressed as No-Face, and I am today celebrating 15 years of parenthood. The 4-pound peanut who was a little eager to join us earthside has successfully grown to 30x his original size. He has opened my eyes to so much wonder, and makes me laugh on the daily. He wants to know how all this is relevant to a newsletter about poetry, but says I can say whatever I'd like as long as I don't use his name, and can he please get back to setting up his new noise-cancelling earbuds.
Here are some poems, some upcoming events, some shout-outs, and some ponderings... Let me know how you're doing. Or better: how you're being. I continue to suspect that we can handle anything so long as we're in it together.
xoz
New Poems
Here are my last two Poet Laureate offerings:
"At the Risk of Listening” was presented to City Council in September. While I can't purport to know all the solutions--or any for that matter, I do know that what we need from our leaders is the ability to listen in a profound way... a way that goes beyond respect to a willingness to transform together.
“Everyday Electric” was filmed and edited by Mike Morritt and presented at the Civic Awards. I only found out afterward that Food Not Bombs was being honoured. Grateful to Mike for including footage from FnB in this video.
It has been my deepest honour to serve as Peterborough’s second poet laureate. Thank you to Electric City Culture Council for establishing and fiercely advocating for this program. And also for the lovely write-up upon the conclusion of my term.
Trans Day of Remembrance
Not firm yet, but hope to see you at Trans Day of Remembrance, hosted by KSAC, Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre and Trans Peer Outreach. November 20, Time and location TBA.
Rebel With a Cause
Honoured to be performing for this annual fundraiser for E. Fry. This year's tickets and silent auction funds will be used to save the Morning Drop-In Program. November 27, 6-8pm at Showplace. Tickets here.
Ptbo Pride flag raising
Thank you to everyone who came out during Pride to hold our space despite threats of anti-trans protesters. Our numbers were big enough to keep the protesters from even showing their faces. Grateful to the Pride Committee for consistently holding space for queer celebration. My wish for next year is an all-ages dance party, please!
I was honoured to speak and to read the poem “Nonbinary” at the official flag raising at City Hall.
Read more in this Peterborough Currents article.
Take Back the Night
Also honoured to speak at Take Back the Night alongside survivors, advocates, and Peterborough’s First Poet Laureate Sarah Lewis. I spoke about my experience as both experiencing and perpetuating gender-based violence. A beautiful and important event.
Word on The Street
A privilege to be on stage with Toronto Poet Laureate, Lillian Allen, Hamilton Poet in Place Lishai Peel, and Toronto Youth Poet Laureate, Shahaddah Jack. I also got to talk to heroes like Jane Farrow and Desmond Cole.
Bonus: my book is now on the shelf at Queen Books in the Beaches. So if you’re in Toronto and need a copy, you can grab it there. (Reminder: you can also get it from Take Cover Books anytime!)
Decolonial Poetry with Sarah Lewis - postponed
Our poetry workshop at Nozhem Theatre has been postponed until the winter term… stay tuned by following Nozhem on social media or signing for my e-blasts (new!)
Official Portrait
EC3 commissioned my “official portrait” from Julie Gagné. We had a great time, trying out photos in every part of Sadleir House. This building was part of my residence when I first came to Trent. After our protests to keep PR open were criminalized and the college was sold, the students bought back Sadleir House and operated it as a community centre. There was a party the night it re-opened in 2004, a fateful night on which I first got to know my future wife! It is also, we realized, where Julie and I first met. A very appropriate location for my first professional headshots. You can see some of the other photos from the shoot here.
What’s next?
As we await the announcement of your next Poet Laureate, I want to reassure you that I am still here. I would never leave our town high and dry without a Poet Laureate on call (can you imagine?!)
That said, I am turning my focus to a more inward process of writing. I am editing my poetry manuscript for eventual publication. (Another thank you to EC3 for the artist grant program!).
In addition to my own poetry manuscript, I am supporting several other book projects, working with others’ writing, which is a real delight for me.
I am also immersed in movement work for Palestine and for meaningful inclusivity at our local shul. If this is work you are interested in, please ask me more.
Poetry news in the community:
New exquisite chapbook from Lisa Baird:
Congrats to Cobourg poet laureate, Jessica Outram for winning the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People for her book Bernice and the Georgian Bay Gold.
Ptbo Poetry Slam happens the 4th Thursday of every month at the new Dreams of Beans location (141 Charlotte St.)
(photo by J. Gillis)
Bonus thought for those made it to the end....
I have been transcribing some of the recordings I took with my friend Jean Koning, who died last year at age 101. I am collecting up some quotes for a little book.... But in the meantime, here are some of words of my own I found helpful a year later...
December, 2023, at Jean's bedside, after discussing Israel/Palestine:
I think that my process in the last two months has been feeling scared and frustrated with people and judging people for judging other people.
And then being with people.
And every time I'm actually physically with people, they're amazing. They have an incredible capacity for compassion, for hearing different people's struggles, for holding more than one truth at the same time. And it must be that we all have that. And that it's trauma that leads us, leads individual people to try to protect themselves at the cost of others and then to create systems and companies that are able to operate without concern for the sacredness of life.
But I think a really, really important thing that needs to happen right now, and it's probably a big part of my job as a poet is to not lose faith in humanity. Because like you said, people witnessed World War One, World War 2. Horrible. Human beings are capable of massive destruction and harm. But that doesn't mean that the people around you don't care about you. You know?
We let these small number of people define humanity for us and it's not right or correct or fair when you think about all the thousands of years that people have developed their cultures and found ways of making decisions together and feeding each other and caring for one another.
And people are continuing to do that every day.
Thanks for doing that every day, my friends. Big love.
PS If you want to know about events or new posts right away, sign up for 'e-blasts' by clicking here.
Book Me