The Literary Page
We are fortunate to count many a writer and bard among the residents of Sandy Hill. The first notable poet who graced our neighbourhood in its early years was Archibald Lampman who spent a good part of his short life living in Philomene Terrace, Daly Ave.
Word sonnets
Seymour Mayne
Word sonnets are fourteen-line poems, with one word per line. Seymour Mayne is one of the chief innovators of the form. These word sonnets come from Perfume: Poems and Word Sonnets recently published by Ronald P. Frye & Co.
Copyright © 2021 Seymour Mayne
1. Mayne poems TOP 2 Mayne prep file-2 3 Mayne poems TOP-3 4 Mayne poems TOP-4 5 top2 Mayne prep file 6 Mayne poems TOP-6
Poetry Tourism
Canada Message
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Enjoy Seymour Mayne in conversation on Ottawa Public Library’s YouTube channel
Friends and neighbours of Seymour Mayne will enjoy viewing him launch and read from Perfume in a recent post on the public library’s YouTube channel, in the OPL Adult line. It shows Mayne in an evening of literary conversation with his colleague from uOttawa, Natalia Vesselova.
Mayne reads and talks about the poems and his writing process.
Think like a Goose!
Riel Schryer
Mr. Goose, how have you such nerve,
To dare to live life with such pomp and such verve,
While people rage and people die,
While the earth cracks, shakes, bakes, and cries,
While plagues run amuck, fascist, and viral,
When the world stuck in an unendable spiral.
During it all, you float, and you waddle,
You chew and swim and nibble and dawdle,
Your spindly leg, kicking with glee,
As you eagerly pick at some grassy debris
I want to ask; how dare you be calm?
Have no clue as to what’s going on?
This is no time to lounge in a creek,
Or soothe itchy skin with the tip of your beak.
Why aren’t you cranky, fearful, or filled with despair?
And flailing your wings to escape to the air?
I’m truly sorry, Mr. Goose, it isn’t your fault,
That the news is like picking at barbed wire and salt
Maybe it isn’t best,
That you be anxious and stressed,
Maybe it’s me who is being obtuse,
Maybe it’s me who should think like a goose.
Sandy Hill Poetry Project
Rebecca Gibbons
We want to know what this past year — during the pandemic — has meant to you. The Sandy Hill Poetry Project invites you to write a poem about your experiences. Everyone has been through a lot. There have been highs and lows. Share your story through this initiative and inspire those around you.
The first 20 poems submitted will receive a $10 gift card to Happy Goat Coffee Company!
It’s as simple as this—
Write a short poem
Put in writing a short personal reflection on the pandemic. A few stanzas will do.
Do a voice recording of your poem, 90 seconds maximum
You can use the Voice Memos app on iPhone, a simple voice recorder app on Android, or any other recording device.
Send the voice recording to sandyhillpoetryproject@gmail.com by Sunday, July 18, 2021.
A website will be created for the Sandy Hill Poetry Project. There you can listen to the poems of others in your neighbourhood. Everyone is encouraged to participate, regardless of poetic experience. Poems can be in English or French.
Take time to reflect and create, and share your thoughts about your pandemic experiences.
If you have any questions, please email sandyhillpoetryproject@gmail.com.
This project is supported by a community service grant and TakingITGlobal.