Shelagh
Rogers (host of “The Next
Chapter” on CBC Radio), Jean Baird (organizer of “Save Al Purdy
A-Frame”), George Bowering (Jean's husband and first poet laureate of
Canada), John Asfour (inaugural writer-in-residence at Kogawa House),
George Stanley (BC Book Prize nominatee for poetry) + “Joy Kogawa” –
photo Todd Wong
7:30 p.m., Monday, April 20
Historic Joy Kogawa House, 1450
West 64th Avenue, Vancouver
John Asfour is indeed the perfect choice for our inaugural WIR. On Monday
night, I shared with the group that the connections we have between Roy
and Art Miki, George Bowering, Purdy House, are amazing. How is it
that John could have been friends with Art Miki on panel forums, and
that Roy was a consultant for Kogawa House… and great friends and an
editor with/for George Bowering, and we bring it all together with
Daphne Marlatt, who has read for Kogawa House events before, and
Shelagh Rogers (2005 former co-host for Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner)
for an evening of poetry and friendship, and to help save another
literary landmark.
Nilofar, Daphne, George and John – photo Todd Wong
The evening started with three BC Book Prize-nominated
poets—George Stanley, Nilofar Shidmehr
and Daphne Marlatt as part of BC
Book and Magazine Week. Daphne read first, then George, followed by Nilofar.
Jean Baird talks with Shelagh Rogers. – photo Todd Wong
After a brief intermission that allowed people to purchase books and have them signed by the guest poets, the talk turned to Save the Al Purdy A-Frame. Shelagh Rogers shared her story of doing the last public interview with Al Purdy at the Eden Mills Writers Festival. Jean Baird is heading up the Save the Purdy A-Frame campaign, and she and her husband George Bowering shared their many stories about Al Purdy and his wife Eurithe.
Asfour, a Montreal poet, is the first
writer-in-residence at Kogawa House and
will present poetry readings to a
variety of audiences, in collaboration
with the Canadian National Institute for
the Blind, Simon Fraser University’s
Writers Studio, Christianne’s Lyceum of
Literature and Art and the Vancouver
Public Library.
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