Saturday, April 08, 2017

The 16th Annual Poetry Reading happened

...last night at the Flin Flon Public Library, which serves residents on both sides of the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border. The event was in honour of National Poetry Month and put on by the Flin Flon Writers Guild, Flin Flon Toastmasters, and the Flin Flon Public Library. It always draws a great crowd.


All the readers gave wonderful readings and, as the MC noted, it was clear they had put a lot of thought into what poem they'd read on this occasion. At this event I usually read a poem by a Canadian poet who has passed on and whose work has had a great influence on mine. This time I chose the poem "Afterthought 2" from Robert Kroetsch's book Too Bad: Sketches Toward a Self-Portrait.

Ann Ross and Doug McGregor brought the night to a beautiful close with a performance of Leonard Cohen's "So Long Marianne," the crowd joining in on the chorus. It was so moving.

Thank you to the organizers, readers, and community for another wonderful celebration!