Poetry at the dam and beyond
Posted Aug 4, 2011 By Judy Backus
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EMC Lifestyles - Marmora For the past five years, the Civic Holiday Weekend has seen a number of area poets congregate in Marmora for the annual Purdy Country Litfest. This year's poetry symposium, held at the William Shannon Room on July 30, with presentations by Anna Yin and Terry Barker, focussed on the Life and Work of Seminal Canadian Modernist Poet, Raymond Souster, whose idea it was to form the League of Canadian Poets. 
Judy Backus, Stirling EMC
While fellow poets gathered in the shade beside the dam, John Hamley presented a selection of his haiku, including one that appropriately read, in view of the location, "Last year's cattails - spirits of the marsh revealed."
Following that, the group headed outdoors, then north to the dam where they assembled in the shade beside the placid waters of the Crowe for a musical interlude presented by Morley Ellis, followed by readings of original works by the gathered poets.
In welcoming all, host Chris Faires commented that the event was held to honour the people's poets such as Al Purdy, Milton Acorn, Dorothy Livesay and Ted Plantos.
During the time spent at the dam, Jim Larwell launched his CD, Birdman Stoneman, performing an a capella selection of pieces from it, including Moonlight Dancing. Poets took turns reading or reciting their works.
One young poetry enthusiast, three-year-old Kai Wakely, treated the appreciative group to a lively recitation, not of his own work, but that of the perennial favourite of kids, Alligator Pie, by Dennis Lee.
The following day, the session continued at Zen River Gardens in Malone, a property owned by Faires, where Tai Grove, President of the Canada Cuba Literary Alliance, hosted a reading by members of the CCL
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