Do you remember this poet with the dreamy eyes? My friend, Christine Lowther, a wildly talented and rising poet, who lives on the waters of Clayoquot Sound, has just had her latest book of poems, My Nature, launched by Leaf Press, a publisher who publishes poetry only.
Here Chris is reading from her newest volume of poems, at the October 28 book launch in Tofino. Sadly, I could not be there, as Jasmine had just had her surgery. Rats! Nothing else would have stopped me from being there to watch my dear friend shine.
Chris took this photo which graces its cover. It shows the side of her floathouse in the magical spot where she spends half the year. The other half, due to winter storms, she spends in town or city, or traveling.
The blurb on the back cover states: "In this Portrait of the Artist as a Young Woman,
we discover/uncover her poses: as poet, memoirist, con-fabulist, and eco
photo-journalist. It has been said that the author writes and gardens on water.
She has a genius for loci, the tutelary deity or the pervading spirit of a place.
And, with My Nature as her mortal/immortal muse, she is
writing the west, coasting the Sound, Clayoquot-style.
(Anne Burke)
This is the poster for Tongues of Fire, a bi-weekly event in the city of Victoria,
where Chris plans to read at their open mic on November 25th at 7 p.m.
at the Solstice Cafe.
Makes me wish I were more mobile, but I bask vicariously in her glow!
Chris's next book launch for My Nature will be held
November 27th
at
Camus Books
on Quadra Island
(a most beautiful island
off the east coast of Vancouver Island!)
George Elliott Clarke called Chris's first book of poems,
New Power,
"an astonishing collection of heartbreaking force."
New Power was published by Broken Jaw Press in 1999.
I witnessed Chris birthing these poems, about her grief at losing her mother
when she was seven, during the preceding winter, at our Clayoquot Writers Group sessions.
Her mother was the noted poet, Pat Lowther, whose
work continues to be read and celebrated today.
What a privilege it was to midwife Chris through that passage. As it continues to be, witnessing her journey into her New Power, and the flowering of her strong, certain
young womanhood.
Chris is the one writer I know who writes with discipline, determination and perseverance.
She respects her talent enough to keep at it, she never goes through fallow periods, or puts off writing. She keeps at it, as she does with submitting her work.
I so admire her!
Chris has other books as well: A Cabin in Clayoquot, (prose);
she co-edited and co-authored (with Anita Sinner)
Writing the West Coast: In Love With Place; and she is currently
co-editing and seeking a publisher for
a second anthology on west coast identities.
I can't tell you how proud I am
of the journey this young woman has made,
of her amazing talent,
and of being able to call
her my friend.
If you wish to know more about this amazing woman, you might enjoy reading the bio of her I wrote in September, replete with glorious photographs the poet herself took of her amazing lifestyle on the waters of Clayoquot Sound. Click here for a more in-depth look at this rising poet:
http://stardreamingwithsherrybluesky.blogspot.com/2010/09/one-poets-life.html
Best of luck to your poet friend!
ReplyDeleteIt is so wonderful to see a poet succeed. I think that must be very difficult. This is a lovely tribute to her. I'm sure she must be thrilled.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame you had to miss the book launch, Sherry, when you were so looking forward to it! I will definitely be checking out Christine's book...:)
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