New!
✨Interview on CV2 with Penn Kemp by Sophie Guillas: https://contemporaryverse2.ca/interviews/an-interview-with-penn-kemp/ !
✨“Losing the Vernacular”, with image by Jim Kemp. The Vernacular Journal, https://vernacularjournal.com/On-Losing-the-Vernacular, Winter 2024
✨Jim Andrews from Vancouver included my poem “Lethologica” in his wondrous See of Po series: https://seaofpo.vispo.com?p=pk. And on Jim Andrews’s manifesto, manual, and magazine, https://vispo.com/writings/essays/Sea_of_Po2.pdf: P. 61. For Sea of Po, I wanted to write a language poem that would lend itself to animation, to movement, to be read in swirls, side to side, and yet form couplets. Hence, Lethologica, so that the word is not lost in Lethe’s forgetful current, but is re-imagined as image, as colour.
✨Upcoming In-person Poetry Readings
Sunday, February 25, 12:30-1:30pm EST. Join Penn Kemp and Katie Jeresky with cellist Luc Julian in Heeman’s lush tropical greenhouse for a special in-person poetry reading of Rose Garden Press’s new release, Intent of Flowering. Heeman’s Greenhouse, 20422 Nissouri Road, Thorndale, ON N0M 2P0. Grab a tea, coffee, shake or sundae when you arrive at the in-house Cafe Beanery and join us in the houseplants section! RSVP by sending an email to katiejeresky@gmail.com. Free. Chapbooks available for purchase.
✨ Monday, April 22. Earth Day.
✨ Sunday, April 28, 2-4pm. Poetry Reading among the Alpacas by Penn Kemp and Katie Jeresky with cellist Luc Julian. 2211 Egremont Drive, RR5 Strathroy ON, N7G 3H6. Contact: Thandi, info@timbuktufarms.com. Celebrating National Poetry Month on the theme of Weather. By donation.
✨ Monday, April 29, 2024, 7pm. Art Bar Reading Series, Free Times Café, 320 College Street. Toronto, ON M5T 1S3 w. of Markham. Features Penn Kemp, Roger Greenwald, and Barbara Pelman, https://www.artbarpoetryseries.com/post/upcoming-events. Contact: (416) 967-1078 artbarpoetry@gmail.com. Cover $10.00.
✨ Wednesday, June 5, 6:30-8pm. Black Mallard Reading Series features Penn Kemp and D.A. Lockhart, Mykonos Restaurant, 572 Adelaide St. N., London ON. It’s World Environment Day! https://blackmallardpoetry.wixsite.com/home. Free.
✨ Saturday, June 15, 10:30-11:30am. Sounds of the Forest: Music and Poetry Reading at Meadowlily Nature Reserve on the south side of the Thames River between Highbury Avenue and Meadowlily Road, London, ON N6G 2N5. Passport to Nature in support of Thames Talbot Land Trust, https://www.thamestalbotlandtrust.ca/passport_to_nature. Free.
✨ “Celebrating the Forest of Forest City”, online exhibit launch, Embassy Cultural House, London ON. www.embassyculturalhouse.ca. Curators Emmy Meredith, Ron Benner, Jamelie Hassan and Olivia Mossuto: embassyculturalhouse@gmail.com
Now up!
Intent on Flowering, anthology, Rose Garden Press, 2024. Contributing poets: Katie Jeresky, Penn Kemp and Jessica Lee McMillan. This remarkable collection is curated by Rose Garden Press for their handprinted book. Contact: hello@rosegardenpress.ca, Michelle Arnett and Michele Vanderwal @rosegarden_press. To order: https://rosegardenpress.ca/intent-on-flowering/
For my beloved granddaughter, Ula Podesta Chalmers: https://pennkemp.wordpress.com/2023/12/13/for-ula-two-poems/
Forthcoming:
“Celebrating Tree”, ECH Presents: A Community of Trees. Embassy Cultural House, February 2024, https://www.embassyculturalhouse.ca/
“Searching For His Original Face”, Sage-ing With Creative Spirit, Grace and Gratitude, #48 Spring 2024, https://www.sageing.ca/
Interview with me by Richard Capener, Hem Press, March 2024.
“The Conference of the Birds” with Harold Rhenisch, Canadian Literature, 2024March 2024.
Check out:
Catherine Owen, Episode 5, “Performing your Poetry”. She draws from my piece, “Performing Your Work”, https://poets.ca/performing-your-work/.
https://open.spotify.com/embed/show/61BjGB6bvF6pX6Vlst7xdk
Kevin Spenst, “Chuffed About Chapbooks” on my project, “Poem for Peace in Many Voices”. SubTerrain issue #95, 2024.
Recently and Recording
✨Virtual Book Launch:
Saturday, February 10, 2024. Book launch and poetry reading from Rose Garden Press’s new release, Intent on Flowering, with three poets: Penn Kemp, Katie Jeresky and Jessica Lee McMillan. On the Lunar New Year! Missed this lovely weaving of voices? Here it is https://fb.watch/q7u_oWXOJq/! Thanks @RoseGardenPress
! Special #thanks to @JoshLambier https://wordsfest.ca/ @PHWestern
Recently Read...
January 17, 7 pm. Antler River Poetry, Celebrating small presses! Karen Schindler and Rob McClennan. With readings by Katie Jeresky and Penn Kemp from Intent on Flowering, Rose Garden Press, hello@rosegardenpress.ca, rosegardenpress.ca
2 POEMS for my beloved granddaughter, Ula Podesta Chalmers, read at her Celebration of Life. Sunday, December 17. AIA, Toronto Island.
https://pennkemp.wordpress.com/2023/12/13/for-ula-two-poems/
Penn Kemp 