“Perchance to dream,” JC’s poem in response to “Amy and the Queen” by Atlanta artist Debbie Walker-Lass, appears in the November 2022 issue of the online literary journal, THE LIGHT EKPHRASTIC.
Walker-Lass’s image “Cherish Togetherness Forever,” responds to JC’s found poem, “Recovery efforts,” written under her pseudonym A. Garnett Weiss. The five-line poem draws words unaltered from one day’s obituary articles and death notices in the Toronto GLOBE AND MAIL.
Here is the link to their collaboration: https://thelightekphrastic.com/walker-lass-sulzenko-november-2022/
“I am grateful to Editor Jenny O’Grady’s for her choice of the artist with whose work I could interact and for this opportunity to be published in November’s THE LIGHT EKPHRASTIC.
“I revel in writing ekphrastic poems, which gives me both freedom to take an image to heart and respond to it without any restrictions on how, but also demands I respect my partner artist’s original creation.
“Debbie and I chose not to discuss how we were approaching each other’s work while we were doing so. It is always a wonder to me when I first see the artist’s visual interpretation of my words. There is both suspense and mystery in the process.
“I thank Debbie Walker-Lass for this collaboration–a unique experience which resonates deeply.”
JC’s love for ekphrastic poetry isn’t new. She wrote for and curated poetry for the exhibition and chapbook Ekphrasis at Blizzmax Gallery, participated in the County CollAboRaTive exhibition and collector’s book, and co-authored a chapbook of collaborative ekphrastic poems, SLANT OF LIGHT, with Carol A. Stephen, with whom she has a full manuscript, BREATH OF SKY AND WATER, seeking a publisher.
Most recently, her cento “Repeatedly, now in a dream,” was a finalist in The Poets Corner’s Ekphrastic Pairings: poetry, paintings and photography event. Here’s a link to that November 13 program from Maine: https://www.thepoetscorner.org/events/ekphrastic-pairings . JC’s reading as A. Garnett Weiss appears at around the 35-minute mark.
JC reads poetry on the air : Sunday, December 10 beginning around noon
Tune in on Sunday, December 10 at noon to 99.3 County FM, the voice of Prince Edward County, to hear JC recommend 5 poetry books in time for the holidays. JC is the second gueston The County Writes…The County Reads , hosted by the quintessential Lynn Pickering.
It’s easy to livestream this weekly program which features JC’s discussing 5 titles she drew from her own shelves. Here’s the link to the radio station’s website: https://www.993countyfm.ca
“While it was a real challenge to decide which titles to feature in this interview, I looked for poetry that illuminates this season of festivals of light, when there is such darkness in the world. I looked for poetry that spans the ages,” JC explained.
Her choices include the work of these fine poets: Rumi in the year that marks the 750th Anniversary of the death of this Sufi mystic; Dylan Thomas; Lorna Crozier; J. Drew Lanham; Sharon Creech; and Edgar Lee Masters.
“If poets are prophets, how different would the world be today if Rumi’s views about systems of belief had held sway.”
JC read poems to illustrate why she made these particular recommendations and concluded her comments with a found poem from her new manuscript, Reaper, which she hopes a publisher will bring out in 2024.
She thanked Lyn Pickering for giving her the opportunity to share these selections with County listeners.
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