A Room Of My Own

Walking into Greenley’s, you will first be greeted by that quintessential smell of books and the contemplative quiet associated with bookstores. You meet the local authors’ book table, followed by a warm welcome from the staff, which simply makes you feel happy to browse. On this day, I am led into the sanctuary of the bookstore – the back office. This is where it all happens, books are ordered, received and shelved waiting to be displayed. This space feels rather sacred and unchanged. The Greenley’s are there, most at home. I first met them back in 1984 when they hired me, and other eager Nicholson students, to do inventory of the books in the store after hours. And here we sit, almost 30 years later, reflecting. It all began with William (Bill) and Ruth Greenley. Bill was born in Toronto; Ruth was born and raised just outside of Stirling. The two met while at Queen’s University - Bill was studying to be an accountant, while Ruth was intent on becoming a teacher. “That’s...

Poetry is making a long overdue comeback, even if it is only in my life, my eyes, my important circle in this world. And, I choose to include the poetry of Lorna Crozier in that circle. Her recent book The Blue Hour of the Day rests on my bedside table and has been of great comfort and inspiration to me since Christmas when I received it as a gift. The gift of poetry. The power of poetry. If I could send Lorna Crozier a message it would be that I value her poetry. She once wrote in ‘ Who’s Listening ?’ published in the NeWest Review in February/March 1989 that even she needs “to be reminded that poetry somewhere has value” and she adds “I write in case someone, anyone, is listening.” Lorna, we are listening and reading and singing too. Last night during the Music on Main at the Cellar Jazz Club & Restaurant in Vancouver B.C., poems from The Sex Lives of Vegetables by Crozier were set to music and performed by Leslie Uyeda. This is just one of the unique ways Lorna has inspired us...

Ramblings post Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible'... We possess the perverted desire to have others validate our worthiness – we are, unto ourselves, unable to justify our own self worth. We thus look to and rely on the evils of modern day; e-mail, phone, the number of friends in our Facebook, to measure our seed in life’s hierarchy. Love yourself. Trust yourself. Pay that forward.