Please add a comment or share a poem — even one you might read at the ZOOM party.
Poets’ Party
the 29th annual party — 2021
the 29th annual party — 2021
Please add a comment or share a poem — even one you might read at the ZOOM party.
Simcoe Day
About 30 minutes before sunset
you go outside to scoop and shovel
the remnants of the previous evening
from your Muskoka fireplace.
Just as you did the night before
you make a bed of yellow birch bark
dried red maple leaves, balsam fir needles
and toilet paper rolls in the center of the pit.
Then, you make a tepee around this base—
branches of maple treated in resin from the fir.
You take pride in the geometric precision
of your creation as you set it ablaze.
This evening is a celebration in honour
of an underappreciated long weekend
often referred to as Civic Holiday
on calendars and paystub summaries.
There is a hint of autumn in the wind
and your fireplace is dug into a hill
so the flame does not immediately catch
and you have to repeat the steps of your labours.
The other party-goers, interlopers
into your preferred evening calm
all give their opinions of what is wrong
with everything you are trying to do.
They audibly gasp
as you return from under the deck
with four logs of weeping willow
and put one of them in the fireplace.
And don’t they all give you
the full value of their expertise, proclaiming
willow needs to season at least a full year
before you tell them you cut it last August.
Still, you like these people, and you share
the warmth you prepared for this evening.
But they are unable to appreciate it
to the extent which you can.
Because you are the one who took the saw to the trees
you are the one who used an axe to form the pieces
you are the one who coated them all in resin
and you are the one who dug the firepit.
Looking forward to our ZOOM Poets’ Party! Here is a little poem.
PORCHES
Porches (like window sills)
are borders
but step more gently
to the edge.
Boxed, some blossom
yellow, mauve, and red
or overwrought with iron,
scroll stiff invitations.
Some uphold uncles in undershirts,
sagging chairs, and bottles of beer.
Others, smoothed grey stone,
tilt guests off into moonlight
after much wine,
or drab as a pre poured smile,
ease old ladies down.
Porches kiss hello
and cry good bye,
wave flags,
and take mail in
or put cats out.
The best stay in step with the times,
moving up
and backing down
to keep us on the level.
I’LL DO MY BEST TO ZOOM
hi julie, thanks for the zoom invitation;
i was wondering how you would deal
with your poets’ party on this occasion
of the world-wide pandemic ordeal.
there was nothing to do but to await
developments – your creativity led me to assume
you would find a way to host number 28,
and you have : you’ll do it by zoom.
and this way you’ll find it easier to maintain
that slim waistline of yours, after this party
your fridge won’t be full of the fattening remains
of the beer and wine and munchies that we
bring to help the fun along. with each in our own room
we’ll keep our social distance and do it by zoom!
Hans
07.07.20
Julie,
Poetry Party !
Cool … Far Out … All ‘Cats’ Must Dig That !!
Great that you make a Step in this Direction…
But—
Who’s Zoomin’ Who?
“…
In the crowd, I caught your eye
You can’t hide your stuff
you thought I’d be naive and tame
(You met your match) but I beat you at your own game, oh
take another look, tell me baby
(Who’s zoomin’ who) who’s zoomin’ who?
(Who’s zoomin’ who?) now the fish jumped off the hook
Didn’t I baby (who’s zoomin’ who?)
take another look, tell me baby
(Who’s zoomin’ who) who’s zoomin’ who?
(Who’s zoomin’ who?) the fish jumped off the hook
(Who’s zoomin’ who?) yea-a-ah
Songwriters: Aretha Franklin / Narada Walden / Preston Glass
I will attempt to be a ‘Zoomer’ for a day…
Cheers!
Jim Aldred
I’ve known Julie since we were fellow participants at the late George Miller’s poetry workshop at Harbourfront in the 70s. She was then and still is a lovely creative soul. Thanks for many years of friendship, JAM.
North Wind
She is the north wind
constant, strong
exciting memories
with arboreal scent
She is the northern light
whimsical, dancing
against a backdrop
of glimmering stars
She brings dust from ancient rock
the moisture of glacial lakes
creating dissolving images
and impossible colours
She is the northern light
dazzling translucence
She is the north wind
cold promise of winter
Adrian Oosterman 2018
Thank you for hosting online this year! Great to see everyone.
Abbe Edelson
Hi all
Looking forward to seeing you all!
Kevin
Wonderful Zoom party! So important to stay connected to poetry and each other, especially during this challenging time. Great to see everyone. Thanks, Julie!
Marsha Barber
Many thanks for arranging the Zoom party this afternoon, Julie. Not the same as in your garden, but pleasant in its own way. Lovely to experience familiar faces and voices, and those of new people, as well. Looking forward to next year.
Hello Julie – Thanks for the lovely virtual 2020 Poet’s Party. It was great fun and wonderful to see everyone again. I would like to leave you with a recent poem
for this occasion and will send it to you via e-mail.
Best wishes to you and Adrian.
Kent & Gay
Thanks so much, Julie! Good of you to hold the Poet’s Party virtually. It was lovely to see familiar faces again … and share poetry.
Thanks to you and Adrian for hosting the Pre-Party session, it was both welcoming & affirming.
Look forward to 2021 (virtually or in-person).
Mary Lou Soutar-Hynes
Sorry I missed everyone. Tried my best to be home in time for it. Then tried to get on from about 4:30 on but it must have already finished. Glad everyone had fun!
I was very happy to see everybody and hear their voices and poems. Thanks ever so much, Julie, for continuing this wonderful annual gathering under unusual conditions with your usual resourcefulness and welcoming presence.
Thanks for all the adaptations required to host a virtual party. It was wonderful to see and hear everyone again this year and much appreciated. Not in your garden ,but with a garden of friends.
Thank you Julie and Adrian.
Margaret Code
July 20, 2020
Thanks Julie for literally teaching me how to navigate Zoom. It was fun to see familiar faces again.
it is said that without light there are no shadows
living in shadow, once a year, we/I am given the privilege to travel towards the light of Victoria Park
the victor’s park
julie’s poetry party
there a garden of flowers/blossoms/ideas/camaraderie/poets gather
there a light is shining and mine for the taking and spreading throughout the year
julie creates this magic with her creative approach to friendship and caring and hat-making
I missed the garden this year. I have a sprained ankle but I could feel this light shining all the way to my couch
where it envelops me and edifies me and gives me the impetus to carry on
and know that a garden is not just a place
it is also place of heart/alive/inspiriting and magical
an insight from a blossom to a rose
PARTY ZOOMING 2021
julie, i haven’t done a zoom
since last summer so i don’t know
any more about than i did then it, but i presume
this time i will – with luck – not blow
it. [this time i won’t touch anything
i’m not supposed to touch.] last year
i plugged in on time, that’s also something
i won’t do this time; zoomingly late, i’ll appear
with a coffee or a glass of wine
and won’t worry so much about forgetting
anything, or missing my cue to confine
myself to listening rather than talking.
thank you for inviting me to your poets’ party 2021,
– if i get it right it will be a lot of fun.
Hans
POETS’ PARTY 2021
julie, it was a wonderful party
and my second zoom. zooming is such a great
way of coming together en famille
that i can hardly wait
until life is back as close
to normal as its ever going to be again.
however, it was wonderful to hear from those
i see once a year, every year, when
you host your poets’ party. i’m sorry i missed
hearing kent’s poem but i enjoyed
yours – you should write more, i insist!
however when we left poetry and toyed
with politics, well it could have proselytized us all!
thanks for having me, i can’t wait for next year’s call.
Hans