The theme of BORDERS was intriguing so I was looking forward to being part of this poetry symposium on November 1st and 2nd, taking place In Stanstead, Quebec and Derby Line, Vermont. Yes, directly on the border! I was not disappointed! The Fall weather was fine, the company even better!!
The two day event was held in collaboration with CanUSA 360ARTS and the Haskell Free Library and Opera House for the Vermont Humanities Fall Festival series celebrating their 50th anniversary. Between 1901 and 1904, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House was built expressly on the border in order to give both the U.S. and Quebec communities access to the library. Naturally both French and English books, and personnel are available! In the photo above you see three happy poets in the Opera House.
We poets too offered work in both languages. Haskell Opera House housed our readings; first for a dozen poets from the immediate border communities on Friday night, then on Saturday evening for another eight of us from further away (Montreal, Nova Scotia, Southern Vermont, Quebec). We were all enthralled with the theatre’s beauty and good sound! It was a pure delight being among my various colleagues, hearing their voices give life to their poems again, or for the first time, and engaging in enjoyable relaxed conversation as the time allowed! In my own reading, following a few poems related to my borders North and South, I ended with excerpts from my new and well-received book, Steady. Against the Absurd. Kinship at the Core.
During the day on Saturday, several writing workshops were offered. Warm rapport, intense focus, fine writing and shared joy reigned at my workshop on Saturday morning. Download the attachment below to see a more complete description of it along with the other workshops that were offered.
“…a highlight for me was Rae Marie Taylor’s workshop. A master class in facilitating artists’ most honest and imaginative work”
Eileen Kennedy, workshop participant.
Although it was only a few days before the U.S. elections we experienced none of the divisiveness that might have been feared. Happily, these poets without borders, the poetry itself and diving into creativity created a climate of listening, curiosity, and understanding that gave rise to enjoyable exchange, even solidarity. As Ann Lauterbach says, Poetry protects language from serving any master.
As you may know, the region, Quebec’s Eastern Townships and Northern Vermont, is beautiful. Lynn Rublee, Coordinator, and her team made sure we ate well with buffets at Derby Line’s Unitarian Church Hall. But since I was housed in Newport a few miles away, for breakfast I popped in to the Brown Cow Diner, open at 5:30 am! and loved the food and the people there! Being in this farming area, it was great being among so many people who are deeply connected to the land.
FRANÇAIS
Les 1er et 2 novembre a eu lieu la symposium de poésie intitulée BORDERS; des lectures et ateliers de création organisées par CanUSA360ARTS en collaboration avec le Haskell Free Library and Opera House dans le but enrichir, par les arts, l’échange entre les deux communautés frontalières.
Oui, ça se passait tout à fait sur la frontière Canada-U.S.A.! C’est à dire, dans la belle région de Stanstead, Québec et Derby Line, Vermont où le magnifique Haskell Free Library and Opera House se trouve. J’étais émue d’apprendre qu’entre 1901- 1904 le Haskell état construit par exprès sur la ligne même de la frontière pour que les deux communautés puissent avoir accès à la bibliothèque.
Donc, nous après un beau souper du côté du Vermont on s’y rendait à pied pour rendre nos poèmes de vive voix, en anglais ou en français. Les ateliers étaient par contre offerts dans les lieux variés d’un côté ou de l’autre de la frontière. Le mien a eu lieu à Stanstead, dans le on-ne – peut-plus agréable espace, La Chrysalide.
On a pu compter sur le beau temps d’automne, et la compagnie de poètes sans frontières était un régal. À mesure que ce projet se développe nous espérons vous retrouver encore à la frontière Québec/Vermont!