WomanWyrds

She's NOT dead...

Adrienne Rich is not dead.

I say this because on the list of "you got it wrongs", this weekend I did a doozer. I was one of the featured poets at the Bywords winterfest of poetry, held at Chapters, the Rideau store in downtown Ottawa. While I was introducing my poem, "capable", which begins with an epigraph by Adrienne Rich about Muriel Rukeyser (see it in the Winter chapbook which you can buy at the Bywords site), I mentioned the "late" Adrienne Rich. This is because I thought she was dead. I was dead wrong! and thanks to fellow Ottawa poet Barbara Myers for pointing this out. I don't have a clue where I got that idea...but I am glad to hear that rumours of Rich's death were greatly exaggerated and she's alive and well and still writing. My apologies (mea culpa) to any and all who were present for the occasion.

Despite my misinformation, I must say it was a lovely afternoon. Above, you see pictured the versatile singer-songwriter Lindsay Ferguson, who entertained us for a considerable time both before and after the readings. I must say: if you haven't heard this young woman perform, go and hear her if you can. Better still, follow this link and buy her music. I bought CD's on the spot. Lovely, lovely. Apparently we are almost neighbours: she's a Wakefield girl. I shall pay attention.

And speaking of attention, I want to give my next picture some front and centre, so will post again.

posted by Heather Cardin @ 6:47 PM