Recommending Colum McCann’s Transatlantic: a novel.
A poetic novel of billowing language that blows up linear time and yet doesn’t lose sight of character. Ideal reading for Black History Month, with a strong Frederick Douglass narrative and an exploration of bondage in Ireland as well as in slave-holding states.

Another woodland gone!

Dear Mayor and London City Council:

As your former Poet Laureate for two years, I took great pride in speaking to and sometimes for our beautiful Forest City.  But London must not become a Forest City in name alone. As an activist, I continue to speak out for
the arts and for our precious environment/heritage.

*Metro* chose an article about trying to preserve the Penequity woodland through poetry as their story of the year, running Canada-wide this week.  So the eyes of the land were on London, if only on Boxing Day:
Pick of the Year.  http://metronews.ca/features/metros-most-memorable-2013/:
“How London poet Penn Kemp’s words tried to save trees
The idea of using poetry to win hearts and minds was irresistible. There were bigger stories in news value, but the sheer idealism involved in thisone made it the story of the year for me.”http://metronews.ca/news/london/893787/how-london-poet-penn-kemps-words-tried-to-save-trees/

Mike Donachie, *Metro*, London, December 26, 2013.

I hope and trust you will continue to preserve our unique Carolinian forest/environment here in Souwesto. Not only are such integral ecosystems the lungs of the planet, but they are important to our local communities who require their beauty as places of refuge and renewal.   Once gone, they can never be replaced in their full majesty.  Please work toward sustainability of our natural heritage.

Thursday, January-02-14Poem 2013 Chinese Year of the Snake

How London poet Penn Kemp’s words tried to save trees