How is it March already, and how am I only just now, ready to think about my poetry life from 2024. I hope I remember everything as it all seems so long ago now.
The year started with a huge bang, a reaping of rewards from the hard work and seeds planted in the previous year. January 2024 saw poetry being published in the Winter issue of The New Quarterly. What an incredible honour and delight to have not only one published, but three, and each poem thoughtfully and beautifully laid out. Thank you, Editor, Pamela Mulloy and Lead Poetry Editor, John Vardon for such careful handling of my work. Thank you, as well, to Maya Jean Messervey, Marketing Assistant Extraordinaire, who created a video recording of In This We Find Ourselves (one of the three poems published). Oh and Maya also posted a short piece about my writing life. Both these pieces can be found at http://www.tnq.ca
Also, early in the year, a small poem, accompanied by a gorgeous photograph taken by Stephen Anderson was published in The Queens Quarterly Volume 130, Number 1, Winter 2024. Thank you to Stephen and Poetry Editor, James Carson for the beautiful printing.
In Mid-January, the amazingly kind Erin Bedford published a poem in the winter online edition of Pinhole Poetry. Again, thank you to Erin for her time and attention to my work.
At the end of the month, Jim Johnstone shared the news that he was willing to work with me to publish my David and Ruth Lampe Award/Gwendolyn MacEwan long listed suite, Alice, circa 1985, into a chapbook. An absolute dream come true, and by that I’m not exaggerating. I’ve truly hoped and dreamed of having the opportunity to work with Jim and of becoming part of the Anstruther family.
In July I experienced a glorious repercussion from a reading in 2023. After The ninth Anniversary of The ArtsFest (an annual poetry reading festival)in Kingston, Ontario, organized by the wonderful Bruce Kauffman, a call was put out for each poet to submit work for an upcoming anthology that Bruce planned to have published by Wet Ink Books. The anthology would be released in time for National Poetry Month (April) and would be celebrated and launched at ArtsFest X in Kingston over the July long weekend. I was thrilled and honoured to be a part of this project and to later discover that several lines of my poem, This Love Poem Is For You, were used in the introduction written by Miguel Ángel Olivé Iglesias. The anthology is entitled: More Than a Gathering and is filled with incredible poetry – well worth the read.
Later in the year, August 2024, I had a poem published on bywords.ca. Thank you, thank you, thank you Amanda Earl for always being so supportive and kind.
On a slightly different note, one of my favourite projects of the year was my sky photos, which I had started on my birthday in 2023 and finished on my birthday in 2024. The intent behind the project was to take a photo of the sky every day and write an accompanying, spontaneous 3 – line poem. The photos and poems are posted on my Instagram account if you’d like to check them out (@susanjatkinson)
Of course, there were the usual rejections, but really nothing to write home about, which left me wracking my brain as to why it was a quiet and seemingly unproductive year, (especially between the end of January and beginning of July) until I realized I was forgetting the most important part – the release of my second major poetry collection, all things small. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Candice James at Silver Bow Publishing, for once again believing in my work.
Welcoming a book put me in a very different phase of my writing life. I was suddenly in a different place, a different focus, getting ready to celebrate the work already done rather than creating new work. This stage certainly takes on a life of its own with the planning of readings, reviews, applying for funding, all the bits and bobs that go along with bringing a book into the world. I suppose it’s little wonder that my journal and anthology acceptances, rejections, and even submissions had declined sharply.
I find the most enjoyable off-shoot of publishing a book is introducing it to the world. I love doing readings and last year I had some amazing moments while sharing all things small. In fact, I would go as far as to say the readings were a true highlight in my poetry year. Each reading seemed to take on a life of its own whether there was a serendipitous moment or a small-world moment, a coincidence or just a good story, each of which I think is worth sharing so I may begin writing a collection of anecdotes from each reading, which, if I do (a big if!) I will pass along as fun little blog posts, under the title Reading Series.
Of course, none of these accomplishments or moments would have happened without the support of so many people, including my writing groups, The Ruby Tuesdays and The Other Tongues. Amazing publishers and not to be forgotten – all you fabulous poetry readers out there.
Excited to see what the rest of 2025 will bring
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How an Ordinary Wall Becomes a Less Than Ordinary Book Cover
Even before I had seriously started to put together my second book of poems, I had a book cover in mind. It was an abstract photo of pale and worn splatters of paint covering an electrical panel in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I loved the photograph, but when my collection was ready for a cover and it came time to try a mock-up, the image was way too busy, in an overbearing too much going on no way it was ever going to work kind of way.
My next attempt, which I’ll admit, I was super gung-ho on for a while, was a photo of a delicate collage I had created from pressed flower petals and swathes of pastel paint. I was quite sure it would work, especially as the cover for my debut, The Marta Poems, was also a collage. That cover had been instantly perfect for the book. The giant dandelion clock nestled in muted tones represented the fragility of hope, yet within that fragility, the belief in truth, strength and the philosophy that things will get better. There was no question this was the right image, not only for the theme of the collection but also as an attractive cover and I think that was at the crux of my thought process – I assumed whatever thought was in my head re: book cover ideas would easily translate and therefore work. This thought, I have learned, is neither a good or accurate assumption.
As much as the collaged petals were beautiful, it wasn’t the right fit as a book cover for the new collection. It felt too soft, too delicate, a completely different vibe than what the collection, itself, was trying to convey. There is certainly some softness to the love poems in the book but there are also moments of grittiness, sadness and profound loss, which the petal collage was not able to carry.
Back to the drawing board and I remembered a photograph I had taken and manipulated a couple of years back on one of my many, many walks through the back streets of Playa del Carmen. Side note: I have discovered I have a delight and fascination with weathered, worn walls. I love how a painted wall is transformed by heat and battering rains. It’s a metamorphosis of sorts, the way colour stays or is washed away. How it finds itself chipped or rubbed depending on… so many things really, which for me is at the essence of the beauty of what remains. This becomes the art for me, what I photograph is a new piece of art on a wall.
The piece of wall I discovered and photographed for all things small was from a tiny corner of an exterior restaurant wall. My eye was drawn to the corner as I focused on the layers of colour left through time and age, the layers that were always meant to be and which for me spoke to the poems that the image would ultimately envelop.
With the help of my amazing publisher and fellow poet/artist, Candice James, we were able to add some vibrancy and texture to the original colours, creating the art piece that has now become the book’s cover. Once I titled the photograph On Land and Sea, I knew I had found art in the distress and decay of colour and paint.
Once all the discussions for the cover, including font size, were set, I thought it would be plain sailing, but no, I soon learned the back cover is of equal importance and ended up taking almost as much time and creative energy to produce.
Originally, a wraparound image of the photograph looked amazing, but unfortunately, it was hard to read some of the very important back cover matter. This led to the next round of discussion: if it was going to be a solid colour for the back, which colour would work best, not only to blend with the front image but to compliment all the written information.
The amazing part of the experience of creating the collection, literally from cover to cover, is feeling I have a new understanding of how important the cover is in both its image and text. I have also learned the perfect cover is more than a wonderful painting or photograph but rather it is a subtle compliment to the poems within. I am thrilled to share the cover of my latest collection, all things small.
From wall to cover
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Looking Back on 2023
I have a habit of moving quickly from one thing to the next, especially when it comes to my writing, particularly my poetry. Reflecting on this, I feel like I don’t take the time to savour and enjoy the rewards of hard work or to stay and sit in the moment, for that matter. I tend to be much better at this with my regular life but I’m not very good when it comes to my writing, so this year I have decided I’m going to take a moment, do 2023 in review and look back and feel good!
2023 was an incredibly busy and productive year for poetry. Writing this blog post is not only a good reminder of that but it is a wonderful opportunity to give my thanks to different publishers, different event organizers, and everyone who has supported me this year. I’m not sure I’m going to get everything in chronological order, but the year started with the news that I was awarded a Recommender Grant supported by the Ontario Arts Council, thank you, thank you, thank you to Jim Johnstone and the team at Palimpsest Press for their encouragement, their belief and support in my work. The grant (along with the three grants awarded in the previous year) enabled me to work on and finish the first draft of my new collection, all things small.
Also, at the beginning of the year I had an appearance in Pinhole Poetry, much gratitude to Erin, for not only publishing New Year’s Day, 2022 at the beginning of the year but for accepting a second poem, How Can Things Die on a Morning Such As This? which will appear in this month’s (January 2024) issue.
In March, flo. magazine published She Steals Silver Spoons from the Dining Hall at the Home, in their special themed, Trials (03) issue. Heartfelt thanks to Senka and the rest of the editorial team at flo.
In April, I was thrilled to have one of my poems featured on the League of Canadian Poets website as part of their National Poetry Month celebrations. The theme for 2023 was Joy and my poem Saving Snow was included in the 30 poems that were posted on Poetry Pause daily. Many thanks to The League of Canadian Poets. There was a beautiful off shoot to this publication as a dear friend and talented artist, Emma Welford, was so inspired by the poem that she created a gorgeous illustration to compliment it
Along with their support through Poetry Pause, The League also awarded a grant through their Poetry in the Schools program that allowed me to go into Arch Street Public School to teach a day of poetry to the grade ones, twos and threes. It was an amazing experience and with that I add special thanks to the Principal and teachers at Archie, as it is lovingly called.
Later in the Spring I was thrilled to be invited to 2 separate book clubs. Both groups had chosen The Marta Poems as their book of the month and it was pretty thrilling to be invited as the guest of honour to talk about the book and my poetry. Thank you to Heather McLeod-Kilmurray and Dee Keane for the invitations. What a dream come true to write something and then be able to discuss it with readers. I loved the whole experience – btw would love to do it again if any of you out there have a book club!
In the Summer I was thrilled to have Geraniums, published in The Queen’s Quarterly and Pickling in Bywords.ca. Millions of thanks to James Carson and Stephen Anderson at The Queen’s Quarterly and Amanda Earl and the team at Bywords. I’m equally thrilled that a second poem, Lessons, Part II, will appear in the Winter 2024 issue of The Queen’s Quarterly.
Also, in the Summer I was included in a reading at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, through Art Credo, with some of my dear, dear fellow, Ruby Tuesday writing group, Doris Fiszer, Francis Boyle, Mary Bragg. It was a wonderful evening of poetry and friendship, and meeting new people, big thank yous to the organizers, Mary Ann Varley, Gary van der Meer and Allan Budzin.
In July, Doris and I were also invited by the wonderful Bruce Kauffman to read at The Kingston Artsfest. Not only was it a terrific afternoon of poetry (Doris and I read alongside Louise Carson) but an anthology of poetry from the festival is in the works 🙂 The added bonus is that there is a recording of our reading that can be found at https://findingavoiceoncfrcfm.wordpress.com/
The Fall brought more great news. I was thrilled to be named on the Long list for the Ruth and David Lampe Award in memory of Gwendolyn MacEwen, through Exile Editions. My suite of poems entitled, Alice, Circa 1985, was one of seven suites on the list. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Exile Editions and the judges for their careful consideration of my work. No sooner had I received this great news when I was named one of The Honourable Mentions in The New Quarterly’s annual Nick Blatchford’s Occasional Verse Contest, with my poem Kiss Me Again Like the Second Time. Needless to say, I was over the moon. Many thanks to The New Quarterly and the Judges. I was also thrilled to see the poem published in the Fall Issue (#168) of TNQ. Spoiler alert – I have three more new poems coming out early in 2024 with TNQ.
In October I had the great honour of reading alongside Jim Johnstone, Chris Johnson and Susan Glickman at The Manx Pub in Ottawa. It was a fantastic evening of poetry. I was especially pleased as I had needed to do a reprinting of my chapbook, The Birthday Party, The Mariachi Player and The Tourist, published by Catkin Press. Many, many thanks to Claudia Coutu-Radmore for publishing my work and to David O’Meara for organizing and hosting the event.
Probably the biggest news of the year came in June when the incredible Candice James, publisher and editor at Silver Bow Publishing accepted my second manuscript for publication. all things small is slated to come out in April 2024 and I couldn’t be happier than to be working with Candice again (Silver Bow published my debut collection, The Marta Poems) One of the things I value so much about Candice is how special she makes me feel and how patient and understanding she is toward my poetry. Thank you, thank you, thank you. As an added bonus to the publications from this year, I’m thrilled because a number of the poems that saw the light of day for the first time are also in the new collection.
Of course, none of these accomplishments or moments would have happened without the support of so many people, including my writing groups, The Ruby Tuesdays and The Other Tongues and my first reader/mentor David O’Meara and great friend/editor extraordinaire Margo LaPierre. Also special thanks to Rhonda Douglas and The Resilient Writers for encouraging and supporting me to keep going.
I am very excited to see what 2024 will bring but for now I’m going to enjoy the spoils from 2023.
#canadianpoetry, #writingpoetry, #canadianpublishers, #poetrycontests, #poetryreadings, #poetry festivals #PoetryPause, #NPM23, #thewriter’slife, #Iamapoet, #smallpresspublishing, #bookclubs, #writingcommunity, #GwendolynMacEwen, #RuthandDavidLampeAward,#thenickblatchfordoccasionalversecontest
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Muse or Character?
By: Susan J. Atkinson
I graft words
wondering which
will grow flesh on a bone
that gleams
white in the paleness
of morning
Sometimes a muse appears quite unexpectedly, blows in from faraway and long ago and sometimes a muse arrives, on the doorstep, from just down the road.
The muse, a gift to the poet can bring more than inspiration, they can bring baggage. Perhaps a suitcase, a backpack or even a small purse, that when unpacked smolders deeper than symbol and theme and allows inspiration to become embodiment. It is in these moments that muse becomes character.
A muse inspires a poem, a character is the poem. All those little bits packed in their bag infuse themselves between the lines, become a life, become who a character is, rather than what they represent.
The muse transforms from hushed metaphors and images into skin and bones, breathing beauty, sorrow, anguish, delight, temptation, lust, loss, and longing that can linger and build into multiple layers. All of which lends itself to poetry. A life rife with emotion, from either end of the pendulum, as long as it is poignant enough to write about makes a great bedfellow for poetry.
What I loved most about VERSeFest 2020 is how strangely intimate the readings felt. It was as if each poet was giving a private reading. And, the added bonus, the Festival was recorded so it can be watched and enjoyed all over again!
Muse or Character was originally published as a micro-essay in ARC Magazine’s monthly newsletter –
Susan J. Atkinson 