EVENTS

What a fun, exciting reading we had this month! From time to time Poets Corner hosts a themed reading and that was exactly what October’s event was all about. It was our very first ekphrastic poetry reading and 12 poets read poems inspired by the visual art of Deborah DeJong.

Out of an exhibition of 14 pieces of stunning photographic art, no less than 11 pieces ‘spoke’ to our lineup of 12 poets.  Some of them presented a second poem. This is a stunningly huge compliment to the appeal and excellence of Deb’s work.

Our Next Poetry Reading

In November we return to our more traditional format of two featured poets preceded by our Open Mic segment. In keeping with our commitment to showcasing both established as well as emerging poets, we have the veteran, John Donlan paired with a very talented newcomer, Karen Shklanka.  Here is a little background on each of them.

John Donlan’s collections of poetry are Domestic Economy (Brick Books, 1990), Baysville (House of Anansi, 1993), Green Man (Ronsdale Press, 1999), Spirit Engine (Brick Books, 2008) , Call Me the Breeze (Alfred Gustav Press, 2013), and Out All Day (Ronsdale Press, 2018).  He is an editor with Brick Books and was the 2012-2013 Barbara Moon Editorial Fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto, the 2014-2015 Writer-in-Residence at Saskatoon Public Library, and the 2016-17 Haig-Brown Writer-in-Residence in Campbell River.

Karen Shklanka is a Vancouver physician who works as an Addiction Medicine consultant. She also teaches clinical communication skills to resident physicians in the Department of Family Practice at UBC. Previously, she was a family physician on Salt Spring Island and in Moose Factory, ON. She also has an MFA in Creative Writing. Her first book, Sumac’s Red Arms (Coteau, 2009), was a finalist in the Foreward Review Book of the Year prize. Two long poems from her second book, Ceremony for Touching (Coteau, 2016) were longlisted for the 2012 CBC Poetry Prize.

Our full Open Mic segment is back for this reading! Please arrive at least 15 minutes before we get underway to ensure you land a spot on the list. We will be starting at 7pm sharp on Wednesday, November 20. Looking forward to seeing you!

If you weren’t there, you missed something special. And if you were (and we had a near-full house), everyone left knowing they had just experienced one of the best poetry readings Vancouver has held in a long time.

Marilyn Bowering and Eve Joseph wowed the audience with over-the-top

readings. The Q & A session that followed was just as insightful and captivating as the readings themselves.

Our Next Poetry Reading

October’s reading features none other than you. That’s right; you could be the star of the show with a recently crafted ekphrastic poem. Surprisingly, there are still some who aren’t familiar with this word. An ekphrastic poem is simply one that’s been inspired by a work of art.

The inspiration for your ekphrastic poem has been created by none other than Poets Corner’s resident photographer, Deborah DeJong. Her photographic art is compelling, thought-provoking, and a compilation of some incredibly innovative techniques. For more information on how to participate in this month’s ekphrastic poem reading, click here.

This is a must-see exhibition! Deb sold several pieces the first day of the exhibition. The entire show comes down the day of our ekphrastic reading (Wed Oct 16), so if you want to participate in October’s reading, get over to Massy Books now, select the piece that speaks loudest to you, and register right away.

A few more words about Deb…

Deborah DeJong, a photographer with a daily drawing discipline, secretly writes the
occasional poem in her spare time. A one-time elementary school teacher who has
been on a long recess, she will soon be getting back to class! Attending Poets
Corner, a monthly gathering held here at Massy Books, satisfies DeJong’s artistic
urges on two levels: the poetic, and the photographic. Having had her images
featured in numerous multi-artist shows over the past several years, Cover Story is
DeJong’s first solo show.

And here’s Deb’s Artist Statement…

See you on Wed October 16 at 7pm at Massy Books.  There is no Open Mic that evening since you could be the featured reader! But you need to register by the deadline if you want to be included in the lineup.