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Michael Basinski, Something Watur Poem
Beaver House after the ice storm.
NEW PUBLICATION!
PRAGER, Jerry—“ECHOES IN THE TIMBERS”
This prose poem, told in three voices, focuses on an inquest into the death of Margaret Buckingham, an escaped American slave found frozen by a picket fence in Puslinch, 1854.
The characters speaking in the seven monologues of the poem are Margaret Buckingham, Jerry Collins, and Nicholas Beaver—the Quaker Abolitionist who had built himself a log house on Brock Road, south of Aberfoyle, back in 1832 and later sheltered refugees, such as Margaret. This house, in whose timbers the events of the narrative now echo, was the very setting of Jerry’s first performance of his poem in September 2014. Having been moved to Pilkington Township in the 1980s, Beaver House is now home to the Elora Poetry Centre.
“Echoes in the Timbers” was read by Jerry at the Centre on two occasions, the first performance preceded by music from the Canadian Underground Railroad performed by Muddy York.
The 21-page poem is being printed on high quality paper, with stiff paper covers, and hand-stitched in the style of an old chap-book, accompanied by a booklet of copious endnotes. The two parts will be enclosed in a stiff card sleeve to make a presentation gift.
Limited to 50 copies. Numbered and signed by the author. $49.00 (postage extra)
(pre-orders to receive 10% discount)
Due to be published May 2016
The Elora Poetry Centre
2nd Annual Environmental Sculpture Day, 2015
Second Environmental Sculpture Day
April 25, 2015
Beginning at 12 noon,. the second Environmental Sculpture Day on the grounds of Beaver House drew on resourceful local artists’ engagement with natural materials and impermanence.
At 5 p.m. there was a small exhibition of Chap Books and Broadsides from the owners’ collections.
100 Thousand Poets Event @ The Elora Poetry Centre
The Open Stage Adventure blogpost on 100 Thousand Poets event at the Elora Poetry Centre
The Elora Poetry Centre is a wonderful example of people opening their home to share poetry, music and food. Hosts Daniel Bratton and Carol Williams moved an 1832 log cabin (the Beaver House) to their property near the Elora Gorge Conservation area and eventually realized their vision of making it a venue to bring poets and poetry aficionados together.
On September 27th, while Elora was all abuzz with Culture Days activities and the Elora-Fergus Studio Tour, the Elora Poetry Centre offered an evening of poetry readings (Jerry Prager, Morvern McNie, Daniel Kolos), finishing with a performance by Muddy York (Anne Lederman & Ian Bell).
These performances were part of 100 Thousand Poets for Change, an initiative happening in over 650 locations around the world, “ a demonstration/celebration to promote peace and sustainability and to call for serious social, environmental and political change”. While we relaxed, enjoying the poetry and the beautiful surroundings, our host Daniel reminded us that, on this day, some readings would be taking place in cultures where it was challenging and even dangerous to hold such an event.
With this in mind I hope everyone gets out to enjoy the abundance of local cultural offerings this fall!
The Elora Poetry Centre & Gallery 