University of Western Ontario Associate Professor Cornelia Hoogland is among the many Canadian poets adding her voice to the discussion of environmentalism issues, such as global warming and ecological destruction.
Associate Professor Cornelia Hoogland will perform a poetry reading from a new anthology of Canadian nature poems, titled Open Wide a Wilderness, on April 16 at the London Public Library Landon Branch. A stained glass picture of her poem, The Green Man, hangs in the Faculty of Education.
In honour of National Poetry Month in April, Hoogland will be performing a reading from the anthology, Open Wide a Wilderness: Canadian Nature Poems, at the London Public Library Landon Branch on Thursday, April 16. Hoogland will be joined by anthology editor Nancy Holmes and renowned Canadian poet John B. Lee.
The event is hosted by Poetry London and Wilfrid Laurier University Press and begins at 7:30 p.m.
Open Wide a Wilderness is a newly released anthology of Canadian poetry from late 18th century colonial pioneer epics to the new, eco-conscious early 21st century poetry. Hoogland, who teaches in the Faculty of Education, is among the poets included in the book.
“It captures Canadian relationships to the natural world – historically, imaginatively, mythically and emotionally,” she says.
With environmentalism and global warming on the tip of everyone’s tongue these days, Hoogland says poets can play a considerable role in the discussion. The poetic form is able to negotiate the complexities of the concerns.
“Poets depend upon the natural world for its metaphors, but must, at the same time, take responsibility for its destruction. A difficult task.”
Poets are able to capture the human anxieties of living within environmental crises, making the release of the new anthology timely.
“Poetry is a very strong voice in this current discussion and to have this anthology come out at this time is very fortunate.”
Hoogland is the founder and artistic director of Poetry London, which was developed in partnership with the Landon Branch Library in 2004.
Poetry London celebrates local poets and attracts national writers to the area, as well as works towards strengthening the writing scene in the city by offering workshops for developing artists and increasing exposure for local poets.
Poetry London’s co-director, Karen Schindler, is a Western student in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.
“It is highly successful,” says Hoogland of Poetry London. “We have actually seen incredible transformations within local writers who have gained the confidence and the ability to enter mainstream publishing … and initiate writing/literacy programs of their own,” she says.
In the past, poetry was perceived by many to be elitist and incomprehensible, says Hoogland. “Traditional nature writing often used nature as a backdrop to more ‘pressing’ human affairs.”
Over the years, “the voice of the poet has changed a lot,” she says.
Today’s poets are taking up new tools of the digital world to create dynamic poetic presentations. Using popular mediums such as music lyrics and images, poets are able to discuss issues affecting the world in a way that engages the reader.
“People hunger for an understanding of the complexity of their world … (and) other forms are often inadequate to express that complexity,” she says.
Hoogland is the recipient of a number of poetry awards, including being named the 2009 runner-up for the Stephen Dunn Poetry Award, The American Broome Review, for her poem “Last Chance at Happiness but Misses her Flight, Loses her Luggage.” In 2008, she was awarded a three-week residency at the Leighton Colony in Banff, Alta.
Throughout the month of April, the D. B. Weldon Library will have books on display from past and present poets at Western, including Hoogland, James Reaney, Don McKay, Michael Ondaatje, Polly Fleck, John B. Lee, Beryl Baigent and others.
More information about Poetry London is available at www.poetrylondon.ca.
Red Riding Hood Meets the Wolf
By Cornelia Hoogland
This was different. He was.
Asked her name, she told him. He smiled. She smiled back. Why wouldn’t she?
He turned, bent over the flowers – trilliums, and some girlie pink ones.
A trickle of noise – a single bean falling down a rain stick.
Look he said, look at this trout lily – it’s pushed through winter’s leaf-mat. Leaf-mat: nobody talked like that. And this collar of leaves hugging the stem. He flicked the leaves away. Flick
went his fingers.
She said she had to go.
What’s your hurry? Don’t be such a schoolgirl.
Of course she was a schoolgirl.
Look he said throwing his arm toward the trees and making his fingers dance like dust motes
in sunlight: Notice where you are. Where we are.
He leaned against a tree, propped his foot and pushed
his sole backwards against the trunk. From out of his shirt pocket pulled a pack.
I’m not allowed to smoke she blurted.
He tapped the bottom, a single cigarette popped out. He brought it to his lips, smiled. Didn’t take his eyes off her as he lit the cigarette – the smell of sulphur up her nose –
inhaled, shook out the match, dropped it.
Smoking’s not allowed in the forest – but she didn’t say that. She thought it.
Nobody ever looked at her in a way that made her feel the look. Said her name like it mattered. Showed her stuff growing under her feet, beneath her hands – her hands.
She could feel her wrist pulsing, or maybe
it was her heart.