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Michael V. Smith is a deeply loving, insightful poet and performer – who uses intimacy and humour as tools to explore pain. In this interview, Linda chats with him about power dynamics and bullying, as they address his poetry collection, Queers Like Me (published by Book*hug in 2023)Here are some of the subjects we covered: on the nature of creative writing and genre (6.15)poetic technique, poetic devices, and poetic voice (verbatim poems: 6.45, 8.00, 42.43)Facebook poem and writing about his father (9.35, 10.48, 27.50, 32.20)depictions of masculinity (21.40 mistake with bike/book; 12.05, 21.25)The Floating Man (13.03, 27.10)Agnes Varda (12.12)Eloise Marseille (4.18)working across genres (16.25)Michael reads from “Grandma Cooper's Corpse” (20.25)humour and contrast (22.42, 24.25)poetry and knowledge - the function of poetry (37.00)his chapbook (23.45)dynamics of power and bullying (32, 32.40, 33.40)the importance of nuance (34.50)gay marriage (36.08)Bronwen Wallace (38.30)Lorna Crozier (39.20)His memoir, My Body is Yours (40.38, published by Arsenal Pulp Press)radical inclusion (46.54) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The last time I spoke with Canadian poetry legend Lorna Crozier, it was the middle of the pandemic. She was mourning the loss of her husband Patrick Lane, and I had some things going on as well; needless to say it got a bit emotional (though I didn't air that part). It was amazing to get to talk to her again, especially because this time it was about poetry: her new collection After That. Listen in if you can.
Jason welcomes Lorna Crozier for a gab & a yak about stone angels, that shivery sense good writing gives you, being corny & earnest, unwrapping your brain, just what it is about cats anyway, Kerouac in Vernon, riding the poem wherever it wants to go, and how, by God, there is light. And then Lorna makes Jason cry. Music by savage hunk DJ Max in Tokyo, artwork by Wayne Emde, & help with the intro from handsome Joe Emde. Join the early sh*t chat at https://www.facebook.com/WRTESpodcast, on Instagram @writersreadtheirearlyshit, & on Bluesky at wrtes@bsky.social. Thank you, wherever & whoever & however you are, for listening. Support the show
This week on the show! My conversation with Violet Browne about her novel, This Is The House That Luke Built. Listen in if you can. This fall, if all goes well, ours guests will include Lorna Crozier, Sean Michaels, Karma Brown, Waubgeshig Rice, Alicia Elliott and others. An exciting line-up! Also: if you're in Hamilton, make sure you drop by the author tent at Supercrawl, there's a lot happening. Details to come.
In this episode, Steve and Diana go on an EPIC journey with none other than legendary comedian and weed aficionado, Tommy Chong. What do they talk about? WHAT DO THEY NOT TALK ABOUT?! Grab a seat and buckle up because this chat goes everywhere from growing up poor in Alberta and going to church for entertainment, to hustling at pool, to the rise of Cheech and Chong, to sharing a jail cell with the Wolf of Wall Street! In a beautifully unique twist, Tommy shines a posthumous light on someone we should all know more about in Canada - poet Patrick Lane. Tommy and Patrick grew up together and Patrick's journey from blue collar labourer to one of Canada's most respected poets is incredible. Steve and Diana are honoured to have Patrick's widow Lorna Crozier (a well-respected poet as well) read one of Patrick's poems called ‘Hummingbird.'To learn more about Tommy Chong, check out his website at www.tommychong.com or follow him on Twitter @tommychongTo learn more about Patrick Lane, please visit www.patricklane.ca where you can learn more about the release of his posthumous book of poetry curated by Lorna Crozier called ‘The Quiet in Me.'To learn more about Lorna Crozier, please also check out: www.lornacrozier.caHOST: Steve Patterson (Twitter: @patterballs)PRODUCER & CO-HOST: Diana Frances (Twitter @dianafrancesvan)TECHNICAL PRODUCER: Donovan Deschner from Fracture A Femur Productions (www.fractureafemur.com)MUSIC BY: Imagine Sound Studios (www.imaginesoundstudios.com)This show is brought to you by The Apostrophe Podcast Network and is powered by Acast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Lorna Crozier on The Quiet in Me by Patrick Lane, Judy Lin on A Magic Steeped in Poison and TNC columnist Elisabeth De Mariaffi recommends three books for mystery and thriller readers, and more.
North by Northwest from CBC Radio British Columbia (Highlights)
The award winning poet and author Lorna Crozier talks about some of the books that have been important in her life.
Lorna Crozier's touching, perfect little memoir has gotten me rambling about the passage of time. Ruminating, yearning to brumate.
An Officer of the Order of Canada, Lorna Crozier has been acknowledged for her contributions to Canadian literature, her teaching and her mentoring with five honorary doctorates, most recently from McGill and Simon Fraser Universities. Her books have received numerous national awards, including the Governor-General’s Award for Poetry. The Globe and Mail declared The Book of Marvels: A Compendium of Everyday Things one of its Top 100 Books of the Year, and Amazon chose her memoir as one of the 100 books you should read in your lifetime. A Professor Emerita at the University of Victoria, she has performed for Queen Elizabeth II and has read her poetry, which has been translated into several languages, on every continent except Antarctica. Her book, What the Soul Doesn't Want, was nominated for the 2017 Governor General's Award for Poetry. In 2018, Lorna Crozier received the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award. Steven Price called Through the Garden: A Love Story (with Cats), her latest nonfiction book, “one of the great love stories of our time.” Lorna Crozier lives on Vancouver Island. 1) Please tell us your story and reasons why nature runs through all your work. I think one of the mistakes we make is as a human species, is that we talk about going for a walk “in” nature or we are going outside “to” nature. We separate ourselves from it. We are part of nature like every other species like robins, earthworms, fish, and hawks. It is interesting that we have put this glass bell around ourselves and pretend that we are separate, and I think at our own peril. So ever since I was a kid, I have been outdoors. And it may be because I was part of that lucky generation whose mothers said, “get out and play and don’t come back until suppertime.” And we’d run outside. I lived in small city, not in a forest or in a meadow, but we lived in the alleys. We’d build trenches for the water to come down the alley. And we collected sticks to come down in them. We caught frogs and bumble bees in mason jars and let them go. We examined ants as they made their way across our sidewalks. We were 100% involved and I think that instilled in me that idea my skin should not separate me from other creatures.When I feel happiest and when I feel most spiritual, is when I can shuck off the boundaries of what it means to be human and enter into the world of wind and sunlight and an animal with its eyes on me, as I want to put my eyes on it.In your first memoirSmall Beneath the Sky this comes through. You were born in Swft Current, Saskatchewan. The names of the chapters in this book are: light, dust, wind, rain, and snow as you weave in the story of your tough but fun childhood. .... I said, “I am not going to write about me.... I am going to write about what effect landscape has on the development of character. I have always been fascinated by that.Transcript: Treesmendus.com See: lornacrozier.ca
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you managed to eke out a satisfying holiday season. Kicking off 2021 with a very special interview. I had the chance to talk to Lorna Crozier about her memoir Through The Garden: A Love Story (with Cats). Lorna is a remarkable poet and author, an Officer of the Order of Canada, and from my brief experience, a lovely human being. Through the Garden chronicles her life and life during her late husband Patrick Lane‘s illness and tragic passing (I was lucky enough to speak with him before he passed, you can hear it here).
We seem to avoid thinking about mortality, or talking about loss, but it is an unavoidable fact that we all face the loss of a loved one, and will each confront that truth in different ways. If grief is unavoidable, what is the best way to make peace with it? Part Two of Living With Dying features Sheree Fitch in conversation with Neil Wilson, and Lorna Crozier in conversation with CBC's Sandra Abma. In the wake of her son's unexpected death, author and storyteller Sheree Fitch wrote it all down, penning an honest, lyrical memoir with words to stir heart. You Won't Always Be This Sad invites readers on a journey through grief towards hope, guided by the immeasurable depths of a mother's love. Told with unflinching honesty and fierce tenderness, Through the Garden by Lorna Crozier is a deeply affecting portrait of a long partnership and a clear-eyed account of the impact of a serious illness, writing as consolation, and the enduring significance of poetry. When Lorna Crozier and Patrick Lane met at a poetry workshop in 1976, they had no idea that they would go on to write more than forty books between them, balancing their careers with their devotion to each other, and to their beloved cats, for decades. Then, in January 2017, their life together changed unexpectedly when Patrick became seriously ill. At once a spirited account of the past and a poignant reckoning with the present, it is, above all, an extraordinary and unforgettable love story. A limited number of signed books are available from our friends at Perfect Books. The Ottawa International Writers Festival is supported by generous individuals like you. Please consider subscribing to our newsletter and making a donation to support our programming and children's literacy initiatives.
This week our guest is writer T. Susan Chang. Susie writes about the tarot, and occasionally reviews cookbooks. In this episode, we discuss her writing process, andHow sleep can help a blockDrinking teaAffirmations for writingAnd more!If you’re a new listener to Fierce Womxn Writing, I would love to hear from you. Please visit my Contact Page and tell me about your writing challenges.Follow this WriterVisit Susie Chang’s websiteSee what she’s creating on Patreon and EtsyFollow the PodcastVisit the Website for more info on the podcastFollow the HostSlide into Sara Gallagher’s DM’s on InstagramFollow our PartnersLearn more about We Need Diverse Books, whose mission is to put more diverse books into the hands of all childrenBecome an AdvertiserUse my Contact Page or hit me up on InstaThis Week’s Writing PromptEach week the featured author offers a writing prompt for you to use at home. I suggest setting a timer for 6 or 8 minutes, putting the writing prompt at the top of your page, and free writing whatever comes to mind. Remember, the important part is keeping your pen moving. You can always edit later. Right now we just want to write something new and see what happens.This week’s writing prompt is: Set an alarm for a random time of day when you’re not normally thinking about writing. Check in with each of your senses. Write a sentence or two for each sensory experience.Explore Womxn AuthorsIn this episode, the author recommended these womxn writers:Lorna Crozier, author of The Sex Lives of VegetablesJane Hirshfield, author of poem “Spell to be Said after Illness” from Lives of the HeartEnsure the Podcast ContinuesLove what you’re hearing? Show your appreciation and become a Supporter with a monthly contribution.Check Out More ShowsEpisode 10: Dr. Chloe Schwenke - Author of SELF-ish: A Transgender AwakeningEpisode 9: Tara Lynn Masih - Author of My Real Name is HannaEpisode 8: Elizabeth Bell - Author of The Lazare Family SagaEpisode 7: Dr. Rosenna Bakari - Author of Too Much Love is Not EnoughEpisode 6: Shara McCallum - Author of MadwomanSupport the show (https://fiercewomxnwriting.com/support)
In week four of the podcast Nick Gilchrist and Adam Olsen cover quite a bit of ground. They open the episode with a potential new theme song for the series and discuss a possible name other than just the current week. Listeners are encouraged to provide their ideas of possible names for the podcast. The labour disruption in School District #63 was finally sorted out last weekend and the kids are back in school. Adam provides a little context to the work that is still needed to ensure the district can compete to recruit and retain support staff. Both Nick and Adam went to the Barney Bentall & the Cariboo Express show at the Mary Winspear Centre. They discuss the quality of the music and the fundraising efforts. Over $45,000 was raised over three nights for the Saanich Peninsula Food Bank. In the 14 years the Cariboo Express has been doing the fundraising concerts they have raised over $2 million. Check out Matt Masters, Ridley Bent, Daniel Lapp, Dustin Bentall and Lorna Crozier. The conversation then turns to what a day, or week, is like in the legislature. Nick and Adam chat about question period and how partisan it is. In the end it's a long and winding conversation about the quality of our democracy and some ideas on how we can improve it. It is followed by a more brief discussion about the role of the Whip, how the BC Greens manage their workflow and keep everybody organized. This week the SENĆOŦEN word of the week is SĆÁÁNEW̱ (salmon). Adam and Nick also talk about the pronunciation of W̱SÁNEĆ (Saanich). Finally, Nick challenges Adam to name his top three favourite places to visit with his family in Saanich North and the Islands. They are SṈIDȻEȽ (Tod Inlet), ȽÁU,WELṈEW̱/John Dean Provincial Park and Helen Point on Mayne Island. This podcast is fueled by coffee. This week Adam opened a brand new bag of Winter beans from Level Ground Trading. Level Ground is a fair trade roasting company based in Central Saanich on the Saanich Peninsula. You can reach Nick Gilchrist by emailing him here. You connect with Adam Olsen by emailing him here. Please rate our podcast! Thank you!
A new series of Soul Music begins with stories of Joni Mitchell's 'River', from her iconic 1971 album Blue. A song about the breakdown of a relationship and of a longing to be elsewhere that has become a melancholy Christmas anthem. It's coming on Christmas / They're cutting down trees / They're putting up reindeer / And singing songs of joy and peace / Oh I wish I had a river / I could skate away on.... Emotional true stories of what the song means to different people, including comedian Chris Forbes, who lost his father on Christmas Day; Isobel, who fell sick far from home and understands the longing to be elsewhere captured in the song; Laura, who heard the song while pregnant at Christmastime; writer Rob Crossan, who will forever associate the song with his first love; Canadian poet Lorna Crozier who describes the frozen rivers of her and Joni's Saskatchewan childhood; and from Joni Mitchell's biographer David Yaffe. Includes a rare live recording of 'River' from a BBC Concert in 1970, hosted by John Peel. The other versions of the song are by (in order of appearance) Joni Mitchell (Blue, 1971), Scott Matthews (Live Session for BBC 6 Music, 2011), Béla Fleck and the Flecktones (Jingle All the Way, 2008) and the Belgian indie choir Scala & Kolacny Brothers (Live Session for BBC 6 Music, 2011). Producer: Mair Bosworth
Acclaimed poet Lorna Crozier shares her insights about the writing life during the Margaret Laurence Lecture. Inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke, Crozier frames her lecture as a series of ten letters written to a young poet, sharing stories of what has mattered most to her and passing on words of wisdom. The lecture was recorded at the Canadian Nature of Museum in 2013.
Session 5: Friendship. Recorded on March 8, 2008 by CFRC 101.9 FM. Shelagh Rogers and Lorna Crozier discuss "Friends, Bosom Buddies and Frienemies" at the conference "Common Magic: The Legacy of Bronwen Wallace". Moderated by Joanne Page.