Energy Coralling

Balance in all things

but it's gonna be a wild ride. 

The more you do, the less excuse you have for not resting. Rest completely, work completely. Otherwise, the body will exact its revenge at the worst possible times. (We know this, right?) So, work when you can, rest when you feel you can't afford to and it nets out okay, usually. With only good surprises.

Walking for groceries on Wednesday we saw a familiar face. (Is this what it's like to meet yourself coming and going?) I knew a story was coming but I didn’t know about front page. The paper of March 19th 2015  is thanks to the Kitchissippi Times with the story on me by Anne Boys-Hope and the photos by Kate Settle. You can now read it from afar because it is on ISSUU here. 

So, lots of good exciting stuff happening. But it can mean I feel like the scattered end of the comet at moments but the view is pretty nice.

It's rather a daunting schedule I've okayed for myself over the next few months but it's lovely to dive in deeper to fewer things. Hope I can see you at some of it. There are chapbook releases, book launches. I'm running a class on poetry, competing at Battle of the Bards in Toronto on March 25th with 19 other poets from across Canada. The whole next schedule is at the bottom and at the author site.
 

Sweet hubby took this pic of me geared up in BookThug swag on receiving my first author copies of the pet radish, shrunken. (Neato cool, huh? And within the first week I sold 16. Not bad.)

It's out in stores. In the real world. (Fancy!) I should have a way to get it by paypal from www.pearlpirie.com soon. (It'd be $21 with shipping from me.)

Readings start in earnest this month with travels and I will be amidst all the richness which is VERSeFest as a reader on Friday with Stevie Howell, Marilyn Dumont and JC Bouchard. It's over 60 poets, mostly at Knox on Elgin.

On its heels, Writers Fest (which is moving to a new location on Sparks). At the bottom I'm attaching all the events.

 

So, , about that class, I'm thinking one set of 2 hours a week for 3 weeks in June in the 6:30-8:30 slot If there's enough interest in an afternoon session, I'll run two. People who attend do a close read of contemporaries, look at their hows and whys, get time to work on technique, study masters, create new material and take home a copy of Best Canadian Poetry 2014 and Writing Sparks poetry prompt chapbook. (Sliding scale available.) Contact me or pass along word if you know someone who wants to do a deep read of contemporary poetry as a group, look at devices and hands-on-exercises.  There's room for 6 more.

Blogwise, and on radio, it's been a low hum at Humanyms, Eaten Up and pesbo. Columns of Planet of the Scapes continue at the Centretown Buzz.  

Recent CKCU shows include talking with Eric Charlbois (if you read French, buy his book. if you don't read French, learn it and buy his book) as well as Rod Pederson, Brecken Hancock, Vivian Vivassis and Catherine Brunet.  In an upcoming show there's conversation with with the always gloriously delightful Marshall Hryciuk. I keep an archive of my episodes here. It airs every Wednesday at 6:30pm EST with Kate Hunt, JM Francheteau or myself at the mic.

This fall the station turns 40. In June Literary Landscape will turn the age of majority. We hope to put together a special show looking back over the years to when Jane Crosier started it. 

Details on Upcoming Readings Wed March 25, 7:30pm

Battle of the Bards, Harbourfront Toronto

The 20 established and upcoming poets selected to grace the IFOA stage this year are: David James Brock, Claire Caldwell, Elizabeth Greene, Kate Hargreaves, Laurence Hutchman, Ellen S. Jaffe, Jill Jorgenson, Ralph Kolewe, Max Layton, Jimmy McInnes, Bruce Meyer, Sarah Pinder, Pearl Pirie, Talya Rubin, Vanessa Shields, Peter Unwin, Zachariah Wells, Shoshanna Wingate, Deanna Young and Liz Worth. IFOA welcomes back NOW Magazine’s Susan G. Cole to host this year’s event. It will be held in the Brigantine Room located in the York Quay Centre (235 Queens Quay West) on the Harbourfront Centre site. Fri March 27, 7pm

Versefest, Ottawa

Reading with Stevie Howell, Marilyn Dumont and JC Bouchard. I'll do an Ottawa launch of the pet radish, shrunken at one of the best poetry fests going. Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Lisgar St Wed, April 8, 2015, 7:30pm 

Launching the Chocolate chapbook, Ottawa

At A Thing for Chocolate, 1262 Wellington At W. A chapbook of cocoa's rhapsodic delights called Cocoa Cabin with poems by Steven Artlle, Marie Andrée Auclair, Amanda Earl, Susan Glickman, Natalie Hanna, Anna Mioduchowska, Catina Noble, Pearl Pirie, Roland Prevost, Brenda Schmidt, Lisa Timpf and Grant Wilkins. Readings by Steven Artelle and Roland Prevost and more.  Wed April 15, 7-9pm

Great Canadian PoeTrain Launch Event, Ottawa

At Pressed Café with an opening ceremony (blessing by elder Albert Dumont), poetry by Pearl Pirie, Max Middle ad Dennis Reid with Vimeo poetry and an open mic. 750 Gladstone Avenue.   Sat April 18, 1pm

Best Canadian Poetry 2014 Launch, Ottawa

With Tightrope Books at Octopus Books (116 Third Ave) with David O'Meara, Shane Rhodes, Pearl Pirie and Brent Raycroft.  Thurs April 23, 2015, 7:30 pm

BookThug Season Launch, Toronto

Spring BookThug Season launch at Supermarket, 268 Augusta Avenue (in Kensington Market), Toronto. Poetry titles include: the pet radish, shrunken by Pearl Pirie, Endangered Hydrocarbons by Lesley Battler, Merz Structure No. 2 Burnt by Children at Play by Jake Kennedy, Their Biography: an organism of relationships by kevin mcpherson eckhoff and A More Perfect [ by Jimmy McInnes  Fri April 24, 2015, 7pm, tbc

BorderBlur, St Catharines

Jake Kennedy, kevin mcpherson eckhoff, Pearl Pirie, Sonja Greckol, Bill Kennedy, and Paul Dutton at the Niagara Artists Centre, 354 St. Paul Street  Sun April 26, 2015, 6:45pm

Writers Fest, Ottawa

BookThug: Let's Do Launch: Carellin Brooks, Mike Steeves, Pearl Pirie, Jake Kennedy and kevin mcpherson eckhoff at Christ Church (new Festival Café), 414 Sparks Street Details and ticket prices.

Hope the writing life, social sphere, physical and mental tiers are all in good balance. To health and persistence.

And until next time, keep reading and keep writing,
Pearl