Calgary

New Poem – The Glow

It has been a while since I have posted anything and it feels good to be back writing again. Thank you Prolific Press/Three Line Poetry for including my poem in your publication. It was a very welcome boost in these trying times. It feels like it has been years since I wrote this poem, but my saved file claims it was December.

The Glow is a short poem that taps into the feeling of screen addiction, that many of us suffer from. It is especially relevant these days as we are constantly refreshing our device of choice in search of news or just something to make these dark days pass.

I must say that the artwork for this edition is awesome. This may just be due to the fact that I have been playing way too much Animal Crossing, but it still brought a smile to my face. Keep up the good work Three Line Poetry and stay safe everybody.

-Zach

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New Poem – Fleeting Stillness

I apologize for the delay in posting this news. It is an honour to announce that my poem Fleeting Stillness was selected as one of the judge’s choices in the Drummond Poetry Contest. This contest is held annually by the Spring Pulse Poetry Festival and it collects poems from all across Canada. To find out more information about this organization, please visit their website here: https://www.springpulsepoetryfestival.com/

Dr. William Henry Drummond was a poet who specialized in writing dialect verse poems. His work gained international renown around the start of the 20th century and he is considered to be one of Canada’s first national poets. He was a pillar of his community, running silver mines and serving as doctor. That is why in 1970, the town of Cobalt, founded the Drummond Poetry contest to honour his legacy.

My poem, Fleeting Stillness, explores the everyday moments of beauty that we often miss. It looks at how both the natural world and human world are able to transform each other and the importance of this balancing act. This is one of my favourite poems, partly because it was one of those pieces that took a long time to construct and i spent a long time playing with it until it felt right.

Thank you again to the Spring Pulse Poetry Festival and David Brydges for putting together this anthology. Also a big thank you to the Keith Inman, for taking time to review all of the submissions. It is truly an honour to share ink with such talented Canadian poets.

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Cover Design: Carol Cormier

Fire and Sky Book Launch

On Saturday night, I had the amazing opportunity to share the stage with some amazing poets and raise money for a good cause. Thank you to David Brydges for putting together an amazing collection of poems and finding a space for us to share our voices. Also a big thank you to Suzanne Hunter, Cassy Welburn and Kathy Fisher for your beautiful poems and making me feel so welcome when I was so nervous. Thank you to Moyo Williams whose music accompanied the poetry, he is an old soul in the body of an 11 year old. Thank you to Contemporary Calgary for giving us a space for the launch. Finally thank you to Robyn Gilli for sharing her experience with the fire and the Red Cross for all their hard work up North in helping with the recovery effort. It was an amazing night and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to share my work with friends and family.

Newspaper Article About Upcoming Fire and Sky Book Launch

Here is an article that discuss the upcoming book launch and the poet who put together this fantastic collection: http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/oilsands-poet-launches-fort-mcmurray-fire-book-to-aid-library

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Fire and Sky

I am honoured to announce that one of my poems has been included in the Fire and Sky Anthology. This collection of poems was put together by David C. Brydges to raise money for the Wood Buffalo Regional Library in Fort McMurray. The book contains a wide variety of poems that examine themes of loss and recovery, renewal and hope, adversity and triumph, and most importantly poems about the Fort McMurray fire and its aftermath.

Please join me and my fellow poets for the Calgary book launch of this title. The launch will be at the Contemporary Calgary Art Gallery on December 10th from 8-10pm. You will have the opportunity to hear readings from the book, including my poem A Spark of Hope, as well as hear a performance from violinist Moyo Williams.

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