In Memory of Al Purdy
Catherine says that this poem “says all I want to say” about Al Purdy. Listen to her read “The Last Canadian Poet” here.
~ Catherine Owen
Catherine Owen’s titles include: Somatic – The Life and Work of Egon Schiele (Exile Editions 1998), nominated for the Gerald Lampert Award, The Wrecks of Eden […]
Everywhere here – vestiges and markers, on the earth
what goes on under – Epcor
cupping its tumuli above the White Mud
in the park with its even trees, posts
and on each, signs emblazoning pipelines –
beneath your feet – oil. In this place, be
careful where you dig – the polished clasps of houses
weaken and into fissures spill children […]
No snow left
- end of April
but on the darkest slopes
of Fort Edmonton Park
grass dazzling up
green
except a five foot patch on the lawn
where the failed
ice rink
melted to a brown drench
the school buses
audacious as dandelions
buzzing by on 44th
and a jackrabbit
feasting on weeds
in the newly revealed
garden
spotted now with dun,
uncamouflaged & fragile
in the sunshine.
~ Catherine Owen
Catherine Owen’s titles include: […]
Snow in May and then – sudden -
heat wave a week after.
Spring this blowsy convergence of lilacs,
apple blossoms – a few days and the wind splats it
into the yard.
Mosquitoes hatch, too fast for your forgetfulness of blood
and your flesh is planets.
From the highest mountain ash branch, a
robin chirrups like ice – all else a desert […]
