Town and City

Cobourg / Toronto

Canada’s largest literary festival, Word On the Street, was waking up in the centre of the unit verse (David Pecaut Square) in the centre of the universe (Toronto) last September 28. The sun was dawning behind the backs of POETCHRY, as it transported a picnic table ladened with poetry down a super textpressway.

This was a profoundly personal experience for me, returning to the metropolis where I had lived and worked for 37 years. It really felt like a poemcoming as the freeway went from three lanes to four, to five, to six lanes, to collector lanes, gliding towards the curvaceous DVP where the tips of skyscrapers begin to appear. That turn onto the Gardiner Textpressway, with the sun boomeranging off pillars of glass was striking. The streets were quiet as Dave Glennie pulled up to the gates in front of The Royal Alex Theatre and unloaded a literary novelty, a picnic table with laser-etched poetry. Positioned in the food court, the table became quite a locus for conversation throughout the day

All around David Pecaut Square, stood the centre core skyscrapers. The location felt like a sheltered nest of Canada’s literary best, surrounded by shiny new skyscrapers. A shiny new picnic table seemed most appropoetic in this location. I want to give a shoutout for Kate Rogers, who was able to contact many of the Toronto poets for this project. Kate is a very effective organizer of poetry readings in Toronto, so her contact list is quite thorough. POETCHRY is textceedingly grateful for her curatorship of two picnic tables of nature poems: POETRY, NATURALLY.

The great anticipation of the day, was the visit of the Mayors; Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and Cobourg Mayor, Lucas Cleveland.

In the meantime, the table was visited by some exceedingly talented poets. Kicking off the morning with Antony Di Nardo, who just happened to be in Toronto that weekend. What a coincidence. Surprise! Here he expresses his unbridled happiness that his poem, “Under A Poplar Tree” was etched into spruce for the wood wild world to see.

Here is a segment of Antony’s charming poem,

“There’s no hurry in a poplar’s urge

to fill the space and spread the word.

It’s meant to max out time,

the kind of time that’s meant to last,

heart-shaped leaves that cling

and speak in the slightest breeze.

The poplar’s soul is pure and green

and the chlorophyll’s enchanting.”

That was only the beginning of visitors to the table.

Jennifer Hosein was hanging at the Canadian League of Poets’ tent when she wandered over to check out her poem, “STREETS”. It’s a raw urban experience, so we will let the opening lines tell …

“The mean streets of the suburbs

when I was fifteen

were as ugly as sin to me

and I was as ugly

as the mythical monster

the brown-hued devil

that lived beneath the bridge.”

Jennifer Hosein is a Montreal-born writer, visual artist and educator of Trinidadian and South Asian ancestry residing in Toronto. Her debut collection of poetry, A Map of Rain Days, was longlisted for the 2021 Pat Lowther Memorial Award. This morning it was a pleasure to meet her and award her with a poeticized coaster for a glass of absinthe. It would be a wonderful idea if the League of Canadian Poets could curate an anthology of poems for their headquarters or for a Toronto park.

Bänoo Zan is another Toronto poet who showed up absolutely delighted to be published on the table as I was absolutely delighted that she was on the tabletop and showed up. Her poem, MOSHA’EREH, is a powerful poem, blending poetry with the despair of losing identity. It reads in part:

“I lost the line who gave me my name

and the one who gave me breath

I lost my words—my land

wrote myself in another script—

was lost in struggle

Writing abandons intent in translation

I am an unheard pronoun

on this tongue of infinite idioms”

I knew of her poetic work only from afar. I left Toronto in 2008. It was when she set up a poetry reading series that emphasized multiculturalism, that I took notice. That was 2012 when she started the series and it continues to this day. But what an opportunity. So I offered a curatorship of a table for the 2026 spring launch of Picnic On Poetry, and she took the offer. She will curate Cobourg’s first multicultural/multilingual table with poetry in both English and in Farsi.

In the middle of negotiations, another poet shows up to marvel at the table top, cuz BLUE PYRAMIDS. It takes up two boards. It’s a hefty poem, worth its weight in words composed by Robert Priest. I love this man’s poetry. It is exceedingly accessible and deliverable. Robert has a wonderful performative quality poetically and musically, and does he ever know how to extend metaphors. Matter of fact, he should be a feature of Words On a Wire, hint hint, nudge nudge.

“We should build pyramids on Yonge Street

Cut blocks out of blue mountains in Collingwood

by traditional methods

and have them dragged here on logs by the unemployed.

Pay them well. Pay them $22.50 an hour.

This would get them back to work at a wage they could buy houses with.

Build pyramids and then build houses.

From all over the world they would come to see these pyramids.

What a tourist attraction! Blue pyramids in Toronto!

and look -- people with houses!”

Robert Priest’s poetry is often mischievous, lets us see moments in life with crystal clarity, like a child uncorrupted of consensus reality. Of course, it is no wonder that he is the author of many children’s books, as well as a long list of poetry collections. It should be noted that of 29 poems presented to the Cobourg Ecology Gardeners, they chose five to grace the table. Two of those five were composed by Robert Priest. It was a pleasure to have had his presence during the unveiling of the first picnic table in this unique municipal project, Picnic On Poetry. The Robert Priesthood also has a couple of poems on the PEACE ETC picnic table unveiled last April. Perhaps Cobourg should have a table dedicated to Robert Priest’s poems, and we can present him with a blue cake in the shape of a pyramid.

Of course there were politicians mingling with the poeticians. Toronto Mayor, Olivia Chow, arrived early to check out the Cobourg/Toronto table. She was quite touchie feelie with her fingertips sliding over a line of poetry here and there. Poetry has tactility that fingertips can read. She was impressed with the QR code that worked and took poeticians directly to the Office of the Mayor of Toronto.

I shared a memory with her. She represented my turf on City Council. I lived near Bathurst/Queen in Alexandra Park Housing Co-op. Across the street was a vacant parking lot that one day hosted a 4X4 truck. It became a drunk den and drug den with lots of violence. I got a petition of couple hundred signatures and presented her with the request to have the truck removed. Two weeks later it was towed away. She got the job done and the neighbourhood voted for her again. Politicians don’t often get credit. In this instance, She earned it. Good for her.

Okay, okay, what about the Cobourg Mayor? He showed up mid-afternoon and delivered a statement to the assembled word warriors, poets, authors, etc. There’s some gush in the statement, and I like gush. Makes me giddy. Yes, Giddy Gush, that should be the name of a cocktail. This is a generous section of Cobourg Mayor, Lucas Cleveland’s statement to Word On the Street.

“Cobourg has long been known as the “Feel Good Town,” a title that reflects more than just its scenic waterfront and charming downtown—it speaks to the spirit of the community itself.

“At the heart of that uplifting atmosphere is a thriving arts scene, shaped and sustained by the passion of local artists. From painters and musicians to writers and performers, Cobourg’s creative minds have helped cultivate a cultural landscape that inspires connection, expression, and joy. Their contributions bring colour to the town’s identity, making Cobourg not just a place to live, but a place to truly feel good.

“And today I am exceptionally proud of our very talented local artist, writer and poet, Wally Keeler. Within the last year, Wally has been working tirelessly, putting his heart and soul into the “Picnic on Poetry” project. A project which brings art and literature into everyday public spaces, inspiring curiosity, creativity, and a meaningful appreciation for local culture and language.

“The Town of Cobourg is incredibly proud to display these 16 “Poetchry” picnic tables all across our Town, showcasing the beauty of literature, and the dedication to craftsmanship.

“More recently, Wally featured poems from members of the disabled community, thoughtfully etched onto the surface of an accessibility table—an inclusive and functional piece of public art that now resides in the Cobourg Ecology Garden. This initiative not only provides a space for rest and reflection but also elevates voices that are too often unheard, integrating them into the natural and cultural fabric of the town. The table serves as a permanent testament to the power of art to foster inclusion, dialogue, and community healing in a shared, accessible space.

“In closing, I’d like to acknowledge the incredible efforts of everyone who contributed to the Cobourg/Toronto picnic table—a true symbol of community, creativity, and collaboration. A special thank you goes to Wally Keeler and Kate Rogers for their vision and dedication in curating such a meaningful and beautiful piece of public art.”

Yes indeed, a special thank you to all the poeticipants.

Jessica Outram, Cobourg Poet Laureate Emeritus, 2019-2022, composed a poem entitled, The Poetry of Our Town. A poem that lyrically enumerates the touchstones of Cobourg, ending with these lines;

“generations of performers

embraced by a vision of arts

this experience of Cobourg

the landscape is the poetry

seasons of our town, a story

blooming on the shores

of Lake Ontario.”

Lillian Allen, Toronto Poet Laureate, 2024 - , composed a poem entitled, On Losing the Eaton Centre / On Losing Our Bearings. This is a fun poem with profound implications;

“I am not lost

I am right here, where I am.

It’s the darn Eaton Center that is lost.”

And then again, where it has always been

What can we possibly lose in our beautiful City

between here and there

between the people and their desires

between their pocketbooks and expectations”

A.F. Moritz, Toronto Poet Laureate Emeritus, 2019 – 2024, composed a poem entitled, The Wren. It’s a small poem but it packs a punch,

“From deep inside,

the smallest wren hops near, just to its edge,

and jerks and flutters, peering out, being glimpsed,

withdrawing again—into the thick of the doll forest

to be guessed there, its existence, the sighting of it

doubted, a legend of memories and hints”

Jim Johnstone was a young and rising poet when I first fell in love with his exceedingly visceral poetry. I recall reviewing one of his first books, revealing a wrist fetish, among other things. He composed a chilling poem entitled 20/20;

“the new vampires walk the streets

in broad daylight, offend

by not offending, wound

with words as if words

can change the world. The world

has changed, though it’s been

a slow drip, each bloody

mouthful a sentence fragment.

Each bloody mouthful

a renunciation of the old ways,

the full-bodied marbling

that’s inevitable in all made flesh.”

Marie-Lynn Hammond, with a voice as smoothly warm as heaven, graced this table with a poem entitled, A Canada Goose Pens a Sonnet. The Cobourg Ecology Gardeners selected this poem as one of five from a pool of twenty-nine to grace their picnic table. This table was the very first in the world with laser-etched poetry unveiled last October 2024. Back to the lament of the Canada Goose;

“Nothing is how it used to be:
old patterns shifting by degree.
As ancient wetlands disappear,
The lake, we hope, will persevere.

And so we rest, and watch, and wait,
like Earth, uncertain of our fate.”

Kim Aubrey, a resident of both Cobourg and Toronto, composed a deeply thoughtful poem, White Walking. The poem opens;

“Dionne Brand writes about waiting in line

while white people consistently cross in front

of her and a friend, as if possessing right

of way through black women’s energy fields”

Kate Hoogendam, lives so far north of the 401 that there is no off ramp to her community, but that hasn’t prevented her from composing some of the best organic authentic poetry of the personal made universal. The poem, dedicated to her son, is entitled The Hole;

“My son, nine years old

last summer dug a hole.

Sheer winsomeness, no purpose

he maneuvered the shovel

with the grace of a Zen master.

No agenda.”

Kate Rogers, another Cobourg/Toronto resident, composed Peregrine, a visceral poem, think dentist, talons, gums pierced, numb;

“The bird revolves,

slow, scanning the park

for the plump startle of a pigeon.

I imagine its hooked hunger,

talons piercing warm flesh.

A man in a green tent

unzips his silver flap, waves.

Look up! I say. He scans the sky

and grins, gap-toothed”

Kate Marshall-Flaherty, Toronto, composed, Lead, an exquisitely tender poem about being leashed and longing to be unleased but perhaps not, perhaps a bit;

“This dog is not stingy on joy, nor

reluctant to share all that she is with any passerby—like me.

I want to be more dog-like, in the moment

like this pup, eager to see every scented being,

eager to sniff out connection. I want to follow

her lead, fully alive in each lick of air—

as if the leash is not even there.”

So there you have it. Well not yet. Following the speech, Mayor Lucas became a vlogger live streeeeemer. Cell phone camera zooming from face to table top and back, and the mayor delivering his spiel at the speed of a teenage girl. Check it out; it’s on the Mayor’s Facebook site.

It was a good day, a very good day.

The Cobourg/Toronto picnic table was retired to Dufferin Grove Park in Toronto. It was installed there in the early Sunday evening hours of September 28. It is located at the entrance of the Children’s Learning Centre portion of the park. Park staff have chained the table to this location for all the neighbourhood families to enjoy and where the Toronto poets who had participated in this project can bring their friends, fans and family.

Skylar Hill-Jackson, former Cobourg resident and reporter for the Cobourg Sentinel-Star in the late 60s lives adjacent to the park and has agreed to be the table’s care giver. She recently reported that friends and acquaintances of Dufferin Grove Park will curate a picnic table of poetry for spring 2026. Here the table sits in floral glory.

All of this in accordance with the ++Prime Policy of Perpetual Poetry Proliferation of the glorious Imagine Nation of the Peoples Republic of Poetry.

P O E T R Y I S P O E T E N C Y

Before I let you go, below is my poem, COBOURG FEELS GOOD . . . composed just for this table.