https://fb.me/e/3dXX6UgOM Sunday the 19th the day; life has been turbulent, but we’ve finally found enough elements in alignment to sit down together and talk about ShapeShifting. Come on out. Richard Lemm is a brilliant thinker, writer and conversationalist, and I’m tickled to bits to have the chance to spend some time in public conversation. 4…
Category: Live Events
Outer Space, Inner Light
As midwinter shows the first hints of spring to come, I’m excitedly awaiting the premiere of Outer Space, Inner Light; I wrote the text in response to a choral score by the amazing Mari Alice Conrad, who wrote that score in response to a different poem, Book of Songs,* which was the title and text…
Journey Song Score Now Available
Thrilled to say that the score of Journey Song is now out from Cypress Choral. https://cypresschoral.com/composers/mari-alice-conrad/journey-song/ Here’s the The World Premiere recorded in Toronto by commissioning choir Babel, under the baton of Elaine Choi. I first published a version of Journey Song in my 2009 collection, Fifth World Drum. Since then, I’ve played with it…
At First Light
Here’s Toronto’s Exultate Choir performing a morning meditation of mine, set for choir by Mari Alice Conrad. Her setting received the Stephen Chatman Award for student composition this spring at Podium, Canada’s national choral symposium, when this video was recorded. Here’s the original post of At First Light, which I wrote in May 2020 as…
The March This Time: a Collective Conversation
Looking back to 2014, it seems a kinder, gentler time. Dr. Cornett is a wise, genuine, passionate teacher who leads with spirit and vulnerability. Interesting to look back at his work, now that Dr. Jordan Peterson has risen to prominence; now that Me Too has had its moment, now that this kind of conversation feels…
On the Passing of Elizabeth the Great
She showed the world how to be a woman of worth, of dignity and of steady courage – to be clear, I place her beside and after my mom, my spirit mom and my aunties. They are the personal, she the societal image of what a woman needs to be – strong, grounded, gracious but relentlessly firm.
What a gift to live during her reign. May her soul pass through the Western Door and find its true reward for a life of service and leadership. God Rest Elizabeth the Great.
A view of the papal visit, Part 1: old ladies vs…
Behind the grill, a K9 officer, evidently as done with the pointless tension of the whole thing as we were, suddenly fired a volley of loud barks at us. In perfect tandem, we turned and roared back ‘Ah, shut up!’
Hey. Why you going to see the Pope, if you got such a chip on your shoulder, eh? Because this chip on my shoulder has a name. Because of the damned. Because of the rammed. The raped. The beaten. The killed. The blamed for their savage natures, they all had names. Because I remain. Because…
The Wild Keeps Quiet
Ducks write lines in water beaver testify all along shores Lakes like fingertips pressed into the living world for memory beyond our grasp And we wonder what they talked about, our ancestors, if We share tales of them all through trails pockmarked by horses, deer, dogs humans at leisure on foot and bike On our…
Choral Collaboration News
In just over 2 years of collaboration, Mari Alice Conrad has composed a number of remarkable settings for various of my poems. Beyond delighted to announce that Journey Song has arrived for purchase on Cypress Choral Music. Meanwhile, in Toronto, Exultate Choir will feature the Stephen Chatman Award winning At First Light on May 23rd…
Book Club Reflection: the Power of RISE
It has been 16 months since Humane launched, and what an amazing ride it’s been. Any time I wonder about the usefulness of writing a novel, I get sent wonderful messages from various sources. Here’s one that cropped up today while I was researching language resources (specifically, recorded examples of how to pronounce ‘Maengan’ –…
Journey Song Arrives!
After a pandemic-induced wait of about 16 months, it’s here! The World Premiere of composer Mari Alice Conrad’s SATB Choir setting of Journey Song, sung here in a live recording in Toronto by commissioning choir Babel, under the baton of Elaine Choi. I first published a version of Journey Song in my 2009 collection, Fifth…
Prairiepomes 