Central Avenue at Night, in the Rain
Central Avenue at night,
in the rain, without my glasses on:
you tell me about this painting
you did at school —
hazy swirls of red and green,
blue angles rising, surprising,
intersecting circles of dark and light.
Abstract, everyone called it,
except your mother – who said, “Oh yes,
you’ve been out in the rain again
without your glasses.” A painter herself,
she saw forms with fine-tuned eyes,
their colours, textures, smell.
She taught you well.-
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Author Archives: Ellen
Happy New Year
Here we are, on the second day of 2017, which like the first has dawned bright and sunny, at least in the Hamilton/Toronto area, and despite the bad news in other parts of the world. Let’s keep focused on Leonard … continue reading
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Holidays and New Year
Good news — my website, which was hacked earlier this year by unknown assailants, has now been fixed, updated, and given more security features by the excellent web-designer, Mark Bednarowski, who specializes in Word Press. You can contact him here… continue reading
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Fifty Shades of Green
Green Abun- Dance
June again. Spring has sprung (despite its late arrival this year) and is rapidly springing into summer. After the bleak greys and whites (yes, there probably are fifty words for snow) and long hours of darkness of … continue reading
Posted in Reflections
Tagged Cootes Paradise, Dylan Thomas, Gardens, green, Japanese Garden, League of Canadian Poets, Nature, RBG, Spring, Winter
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Words and Images
Hi everyone —
A cold week in January in Hamilton — and over much of the east coast.
Please check out the beautiful and haunting images created for my poem “Water Children” by Steven McCabe, on his site, www.poemimage.wordpress.com. This … continue reading
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Reflections on Newtown, Connecticut
REFLECTIONS ON NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT
Like everyone who has heard this news, I am shocked (yet again), horrified, and deeply saddened by the murders of 20 children, 6 teachers, and the shooter’s mother — as well as his own suicide. One … continue reading
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Places — part two
Pond outside St.John’s
Last month I wrote from Newfoundland and Labrador, and now I am in Vancouver, at the other end of the country. Returning from St. John’s, my plane was delayed by fog and then by Hurricane Sandy — … continue reading
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Place in writing and in life: geography, memory, story
Several weeks ago I gave a talk to the Lit Chat group in Hamilton on the role of place in writing – in memory and in story. This included imaginary and mythical places – the land of fairy tales, “once … continue reading
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The Value of Poetry
Late summer and early fall….a good time for taking stock and new beginnings. August 31 is also the anniversary (yahrzeit, in Yiddish) of my mother’s death in 2009, so a special time for reflection. Earlier this week, I … continue reading
Posted in poetry, Reflections
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working family stories and treasures
- Mary Axelrod lived here
Concurrent with the Jewish Literary Festival is an ongoing project called WFST, about the working lives of the Jewish community in Hamilton. The project is taking place in various locations around Hamilton. There will a … continue reading
cBook Launch for Letters & Pictures from the Old Suitcase
- Fan by Holly Briesmaster, at a group exhibit by “Sixis” at the Papermill Gallery, Todmorden Mills, Toronto, in March 2012.
Please join Ellen at the Book Launch for Letters & Pictures from the Old Suitcase: at the 3rd Hamilton … continue reading
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