Tag: Writing

First Words on Fire Open Mic!

On By Anna EastlandIn Arts and Entertainment, Poetry, WritingLeave a comment

Hi Everyone,

I’m so excited to announce the inaugural Words on Fire Open Mic and Social for writers starting this Thursday, January 30th from 6-7:30 pm! I’ll be hosting this event on behalf of the Delta Literary Arts Society, at the Douglas J. Husband Discovery Centre in Ladner.

My friend Rosemary and I were brainstorming about ways we could make more community-building events for writers, we we could all feel more connected and encouraged in our creative work. We thought a spoken word open mic would be perfect! All forms of writing are welcome, from poetry and fiction to memoir and essay—the mic is yours for five minutes!

This event is free for anyone to share their writing and connect with other local writers. Speakers can register at the door. Listeners are also most welcome! We will have time for snacks and socializing after the performances so we can have a chance to chat.

I’ve been reading poetry at the North Delta Centre for the Arts Open Mic for about two years and it’s been such a wonderful and confidence-building experience. I’m so happy to now be able to encourage others to share their creative writing! The world is a more beautiful place with all our voices in it!

Let Businessmen Wear Black

On By Anna EastlandIn Poetry4 Comments

Let businessmen wear black 

and straight-laced grey faces,

but let poets punctuate 

their wardrobes with patterns 

that leave lingering traces… 

Let bards wear bright flowers 

and nice funky hats, 

red shoes or loud boots

and snazzy jackets that shout:

“Oh, yeah, that’s right,

     you know it—

          you guessed it:

               I’m a poet!

I’m a walking, talking metaphor—

a symbol in motion and what’s more,

a barrel of books, ready to pour 

the golden brew of language

upon your heart’s door.”

Free Poetry and Literature Festival Next Weekend

On By Anna EastlandIn Friendship, Poetry, Writing4 Comments
Come join us!

Who would think that a poster could change someone’s life? Aren’t posters simply antiquated in today’s multimedia world? Not at all! You never know how someone will be affected by what they see…and how a simple poster can be the catalyst for all sorts of adventures.

Just over a year ago, when I moved to Delta, I happened to see a poster for a local poetry contest at the coffee shop near my house. I was so excited and decided to submit a poem. Since submissions were cheaper for members, I decided to join the Delta Literary Arts Society .

I didn’t win the poetry contest, but I won the lottery of literary friends and opportunities. I met Angela Rebrec, the president of the DLAS, at an InkwellTold event of local authors being interviewed. We got along well and since that time I’ve gotten increasingly involved in various DLAS events. Besides attending more InkwellTolds, I have:

~read my poetry at the local monthly open mic at the North Delta Centre for the Arts, where we also host our annual writing festival

~attended last year’s poetry festival, where I took lovely poetry workshops by Jude Neale and Taslim Jaffer, and got amazingly helpful free editing advice by Tara Avery. The poem she helped me edit, “Kootenay Glacier Crush,” was featured on Jonathon Roger’s podcast, The Habit, and is now one is the poems in DLAS’s new poetry anthology, Composed. It will be for sale as a fundraiser at our literary festival next weekend, to help us continue to offer free events in our community.

~been a guest at one and done my own poetry reading with Angela Rebrec and Kedrick James. It was so fun—they are both amazing.

~hosted an InkwellTold and interviewed two local authors, Taslim Jaffer and Natalie Virginia Lang

~started leading a free, monthly writer’s circle at the George Mackie Library.

So much fun from one poster!! Here’s a poster with the breakdown of events this coming Saturday, April 20th:

You can register for any of the workshops online at Eventbrite. I’ll be teaching a children’s poetry workshop at noon. Hope to see you there!

For those who want to just drop in and wander around, there will be live music, poetry readings, food trucks, literary art installations, and various vendors such as local bookstores and authors with their work for sale.

I hope to see you there! Let me know if you have any questions or if you’d like me to save you a copy of Composed, our new local poetry anthology!

It Is Worth It

On By Anna EastlandIn Poetry2 Comments

It is worth it to stay up half the night

to see the misty moon

disappear and re-emerge behind the scattered clouds

that drift like silver ribbons across the sky.

It is worth it to peer up at the quiet stars

and hear above the faint roar of a few cars

on the highway far below

the gentle hoot of an owl.

It is worth it so see the silhouette of trees

standing like living paintbrushes

solemn and still

against the pearly grey night sky.

It it worth it to feel the summer air

on my skin at midnight

and know that the goosebumps

are more from awe

than the slight cool of the breeze.

It is worth it to stay up half the night

to be in love with the ever-changing sky

and write it poetry.

Creation is so beautiful—

my heart is bursting with it!

Can anyone feel so happy as I am

alone with the moon,

in the company of memories?

Ballad of the Pirate Bard

On By Anna EastlandIn Poetry, WritingLeave a comment

I am a pirate and I do not sleep!

I thief night jewels for me to keep.

My Lady with her treasures bold

is generous when the wee hours wax old.

The words upon her golden tongue

are by the midnight spirits sung.

I catch the songs in my jolly heart,

then bursting full I do depart,

‘n sail away to the break of day

to spread her tales far and away!

I am a pirate and I do not sleep,

my treasure is the tears you weep,

my prize is the laughter in your eyes,

for Insomnia’s bedfellow is a pirate wise.

🌴This silly song was brought to you care of
sleep deprivation and my pirate pjs! 🌴

Feather Quills

On By Anna EastlandIn Poetry, travel1 Comment

When the sun sinks into the sea

–a candle snuffed out suddenly–

the silhouettes of palm trees darken

against the fading colours of the sky.

Their leaves become black as crow feathers–

old-fashioned feather quills

writing poetry upon the earth’s dome

among the shooting stars.

My brother Winston took this pic of our brother Monti’s back yard.

Beautiful Mess!

On By Anna EastlandIn Family Life, motherhood, Writing6 Comments

A baby is the best decoration for any room…and makes even a pile of clean laundry into a throne from which to beam at the world!

I’ve been in bed with a sore throat reading Jennifer Fulwiler’s hilarious, inspirational book “One Beautiful Dream: The rollicking tale of family chaos, personal passions, and saying yes to them both.” It’s amazing…I can so relate the struggle and beauty of a writer mom with a large young family trying to be present to her kids while digging deep to pursue her “blue flame”…her passion for writing. I love how she’s integrates them both with such honesty and humour…and leads you along her journey of discovering that perhaps a loud house full of little people is a place of inspiration and growth, rather than just distraction from her craft. If you ever wonder if only your house with kids is a little crazy…I highly recommend it!! I laughed and cried and shouted…you might, too! 😉

Anyway, she inspired me to share this moment from our own beautiful chaos…

Evening Glory

On By Anna EastlandIn motherhood, Writing2 Comments

Tonight I had a mom’s night out with other mom bloggers in a beautiful venue. We all dressed up and chatted and had fun. Besides the sweet baby whom I brought along to charm everyone, the kids stayed home and had banana splits and played games and did crafts with their babysitter and had a great time instead of just watching a “boring movie.” Then they even went to bed for her nicely! Glorious!

It felt like a double miracle: one, that we busy moms made time to get out and be together (looking quite fabulous with not one pair of pjs or yoga pants in sight) and two, that many of us are writers…that we find that time to nourish our creative spirits and connect with other people…to reach out and share our stories and do good by supporting each other.

Of course the number of children people have came up in small talk, and I’m happy to report that while queries of my family size (8 kids) did cause several near heart attacks, there were no fatalities! 😉

Rock on moms, it’s an amazing full time job to give someone else life, whether it’s one kid or ten…may you be showered with blessings for all the generous, sweet things you do to serve your family and by extension your community each day!

The Persistant Insomniac

On By Anna EastlandIn Poetry, Writing5 Comments

Late at night

her eyes are wide open

as two full moons

beaming out in the dark.

Inside fires burn

flames flicker and refuse

the stillness of sleep.

 

She gets up

grabs her book

a sweater

a snack

and keeps a late night kitchen vigil

with insomnia…

–this date with quiet–

delicious silent solitude.

 

She feeds her soul

with bread and words,

then rubs her fingers together,

lights the surrounding gloom with sparks

and writes fire!