Summer Magic

  The sorting of stones, the sun catching a glint, the piling of rocks that keep collapsing under the weight of each other, starting again, searching for more stones, people watching me at a safe distance, the final pebble placed, the sigh, the walking away. Summer magic is in capturing imperfect moments and finding theirContinue reading “Summer Magic”

Return to Spring

Ah, March. This strange month of snowstorms and snowdrops. Days that look deceivingly warm.  Promises of spring. In winter,  I tend to close myself off and shut off from the world. I turn inward, and find comfort in little joys- whether it’s a cup of tea or a pair of warm socks.  This winter hasContinue reading “Return to Spring”

Questions for Ancestors

    At the end of every school year, there is a twinge of bittersweet joy that rises up in my heart. Through my work as an artist-educator, I have the privilege and honour to witness students explore the creative process and share their artistic projects and ideas.  This year, I encouraged students to exploreContinue reading “Questions for Ancestors”

Navigating in November

  October was a blaze of activity and flurry of leaves. For two weeks, my autumn consisted of frenzied walks through crowds. Of scrawling notes in the dark and tweeting between speeches. Of conversations and interviews. Of hosting authors and sitting on backstage steps to hear them speak. Of signed books and signing books. OfContinue reading “Navigating in November”

Late Summer Lessons

    August. A month of transition. A month of humid, hazy days, late night thunderstorms,  and the whisper of autumn around the corner. We’re soaking up every ounce of sunlight we can– dipping our warm bodies into cool lakes and sparkling pools, fanning ourselves on our decks and porches, filling and refilling glasses ofContinue reading “Late Summer Lessons”

Manifesting in May

National Poetry Month was a busy one– filled with writing workshops, performances, collaborations, and new poems.  In my workshop, “Road Maps to the Heart”  I encouraged participants to explore the terrain of their own hearts, and they created their own (stunning!) heart maps.  I also spent quite a bit of time working on ghazals for TheContinue reading “Manifesting in May”

The Ghazal Project: Week Three & Four

The Ghazal Project: Week Three & Four The Ghazal Project, my ambitious write-one-ghazal-a-week project, was going quite well until the third week. I found out that one of my first poetry mentors, Rishma Dunlop, passed away, and I couldn’t bring myself to write a ghazal. I tried, but the words didn’t hold the weight thatContinue reading “The Ghazal Project: Week Three & Four”

Magic Returns in March

  As I write this, I’m laughing at the fact that there is an impending snowstorm on the horizon. March is a month that houses the first day of spring and the last snowstorm of the year.  There’s alchemy in that. Magic, even. The magic of transformation. The magic of possibility, and as someone veryContinue reading “Magic Returns in March”

Nestling into November

Stubborn leaves are still clinging to branches. It doesn’t feel as if winter has arrived, but there is a whisper in the air- a reminder that once the leaves fade and fall, snow will hang heavy on these branches. When the weather gets colder, I find myself wanting to retreat into the warmth of myContinue reading “Nestling into November”

The Comforts of Autumn

October is the month when we turn the corner. Days become shorter, the breeze has a bite to it, and we stay curled up in bed a little bit longer.  In September, we are still holding onto summer days and warmer evenings. In October, the fiery leaves remind us to embrace change. Leaves fall withoutContinue reading “The Comforts of Autumn”