Ariel Gordon's Blog, page 10
April 15, 2016
Suffrage 100
"With this issue, Prairie Fire marks the 100th anniversary of some women’s right to vote in Manitoba (a right that would be inexcusably denied to First Nations women for another 36 years). This milestone is commemorated with a number of short pieces by Manitoba women.
The issue also includes fiction by Alanna Marie Scott, Margaret Sweatman and Meg Todd; non-fiction by Tanya Bellehumeur-Allatt; and poetry by Sylvia Legris, Jan Zwicky, Yvonne Blomer, Kate Cayley, Tanis MacDonald, Maryann Martin, Julietta Singh, Vivian Vavassis, Christine Wiesenthal & others."
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I'm pleased to say that I have a suite of poems called "No Votes for Women!" in Suffrage 100.
Here's how I described it for the issue: "Poems to & from Nellie McClung (1873–1951) on the Occasion of the 100th Anniversary of (White) Women Getting the Vote in Manitoba."
It was strange 'writing-about,' because I usually discover what the 'about' is after I've finished writing a poem. Beyond that, it took me quite a while to find a way into working with Nellie McClung's writing, both technically (found poems? cut-up poems? dictionary poems? glosas?) and in terms of tone.
Nellie was most often earnest. When that didn't work, she used gentle humour, cajoling her audience into coming around to her point of view.
I was most often angry while working on these poems, which culminated in the final poem of the suite, "Give us our Due."
The thing that saved me? A buncha great women poets, specifically Basma Kavanagh, Kerry Ryan, Yvonne Blomer, Tanis MacDonald & Leena Niemela. They read and re-read these poems. They pushed me to take them further, to not hide behind technique.
Which is why it's so lovely that Yvonne & Tanis have poems in the same issue.
My thanks to editors at Prairie Fire for asking if I'd submit something and to the staff at St. John's College Library at the University of Manitoba, who kept me in books-by-Nellie.
The issue also includes fiction by Alanna Marie Scott, Margaret Sweatman and Meg Todd; non-fiction by Tanya Bellehumeur-Allatt; and poetry by Sylvia Legris, Jan Zwicky, Yvonne Blomer, Kate Cayley, Tanis MacDonald, Maryann Martin, Julietta Singh, Vivian Vavassis, Christine Wiesenthal & others."* * *
I'm pleased to say that I have a suite of poems called "No Votes for Women!" in Suffrage 100.
Here's how I described it for the issue: "Poems to & from Nellie McClung (1873–1951) on the Occasion of the 100th Anniversary of (White) Women Getting the Vote in Manitoba."
It was strange 'writing-about,' because I usually discover what the 'about' is after I've finished writing a poem. Beyond that, it took me quite a while to find a way into working with Nellie McClung's writing, both technically (found poems? cut-up poems? dictionary poems? glosas?) and in terms of tone.
Nellie was most often earnest. When that didn't work, she used gentle humour, cajoling her audience into coming around to her point of view.
I was most often angry while working on these poems, which culminated in the final poem of the suite, "Give us our Due."
The thing that saved me? A buncha great women poets, specifically Basma Kavanagh, Kerry Ryan, Yvonne Blomer, Tanis MacDonald & Leena Niemela. They read and re-read these poems. They pushed me to take them further, to not hide behind technique.
Which is why it's so lovely that Yvonne & Tanis have poems in the same issue.
My thanks to editors at Prairie Fire for asking if I'd submit something and to the staff at St. John's College Library at the University of Manitoba, who kept me in books-by-Nellie.
April 1, 2016
conked
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On Thompson's Millennium Trail. Boreal forest!
Reprint: A Poem a Day for NPM
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So my introduction to the NPM in the WFP site is up on the Winnipeg Free Press website.
The intro relies heavily on Robert Kroetsch's Seed Catalogue, of course...
They'll post a poem every weekday in April, starting on April 4.
Fun!
March 24, 2016
Writers on the Train: Churchill
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My thanks to Jamie Christie of the UCN for all her organizing, to the Churchill Arts Council for co-presenting, and to the Churchill Public Library for hosting!
Also worth acknowledging is Melanie Matheson of the MWG for her support and, specifically, for this poster.
In addition to this event, we're also doing a creative writing workshop at UCN on April 9 from 10 am - 2 pm and presentations at Duke of Marlborough School while we're in Churchill.
Writers on the Train: Thompson
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My thanks to Amanda Holt at the Thompson of the Thompson Writers' Guild for all her help setting up these events!
In addition to this event, Anita is also doing a presentation at Thompson Public Library's story hour on April 2 based on her Itty Bitty Bits book. We're also cooking up an evening reading...
