by Kelly Babcock
On Tuesday, March 31st, at The Roxy Theatre lounge a gathering was held to present the newly released anthology, "Mix Well," a collection of poems penned by local poets to raise awareness of poetry month, and funds for the Owen Sound Poet Laureate program, the monthly "Sounds at the Market" show, and the Owen Sound Farmers Market.
April is National Poetry Month and this year's theme is "Food." To that end, Owen Sound's Poet Laureate, Terry Burns came up with the idea of publishing an anthology of verses with that theme, and using the Farmers Market as a sub theme.
The beneficiaries include "Sounds at the Market," a show that happens once a month on the second Sunday from 2:00PM to 4:00PM in the Owen Sound Farmers Market building. "Sounds," as audience members and participants call it, showcases poetry, spoken word, and music, combining featured performers and open mic spots.
As a happy coincidence, many of the poets published in the anthology are veterans of the "Sounds" stage.
The anthology was compiled and edited by Burns and the final product was available at the launch, roughly two months after the invitations to submit went out.
"Mix Well" is also for sale at The Ginger Press and The River Café. Copies will also be sold at the Owen Sound Farmers Market every Saturday throughout April at $20 per copy.
Regarding the project itself, Burns said, "Writing can be a bit scary, sometimes, a bit isolating, and even depressing if you feel you're all on your own out there. A group project like Mix Well, with its attendant opportunities to get together with like-minded writers and poets, can give people much-needed encouragement and a feeling of solidarity. Judging by how much fun everyone had at the launch, I think the project succeeded in this goal, at least. . .the other being bringing the work of a lot of fine area poets to the attention of the reading public."
Among the poets who were invited to submit you can find previously published veterans and newcomers. The list of talent is long, and includes Antony Christie, Andrée Levie-Warrilow, Rob Rolfe, Harry Posner, Melanie Knapp, Robert Menzies, Caroline Menzies, Karen Rosalie, Lori Ross, Susanna Suchak, Hazel Lyder, Liz Zetlin, Daniel Kolos, Danuta Valleau and many more.
Among the poets attending the launch feedback was positive. Andrée Levie-Warrilow said "It was indescribable to be in a room full of poets! Saw old friends and made some new ones."
Jodi Birch VanDyk said "It was wonderful to have been asked to contribute to the anthology! So many talented people! it's a great project to be involved in! Owen Sound is bursting with all kinds of talent! It's a fabulous thing!"
Another poet included in the project, Doug Cleverly, who contributed a poem he co-wrote with his daughter Adela Bezemer-Cleverly, summed up the experience with this, "It is an honour for a scribbler like me to be included among such great company. I was just sorry my daughter Adela wasn't able to be there. Thanks to Terry [Burns] and Maryann [Thomas] and everyone else who supported getting the book into print so quickly, and hats off to all of you poets for such creative and inspiring contributions."
As to the content of the anthology, Levie-Warrilow sums up with, "Every poem that was spoken aloud whetted my appetite to read the rest in the book."
Food for thought? Indeed.
