Carrie Lee Connel, the featured poet at the Jan. 2nd, 2014, London Open Mic Poetry Night, is a long-time Londoner, born and raised in Essex County, and living in London since 1986. A three-time graduate of UWO, Carrie is a poet and fiction writer with numerous publishing credits, including The Toronto Quarterly, Shadow Feast, Writtle Magazine. Her first book of poetry, A Day in Pieces, was recently published by Harmonia Press.
Five Poems
1. An Hour by the Avon
The poet does not write.
She watches the people walk
on the path by the river.
Watches the swan-feeders
throw corn about the ground
and the water-graceful swans heave
their land-awkward bodies from the river
amidst the mallards and gulls.
She does not blankly watch the scene;
instead, a line flits through her mind
to be caught and considered,
captured or discarded,
until there are several lines
and she is content to start.
©Carrie Lee Connel
2. Where’d you go?
And if tomorrow you didn’t see me,
would you wonder where I was
or would you have forgotten?
I return with groceries,
surprising you out of reverie.
Were you reliving a memory of me
or a scene from a long-repressed movie?
It eats away mementos;
a cancer through your temporal lobes.
Instants of lucidity:
The chance to say “I love you”
and receive the perfect response.
How much of who you are
will remain at the last?
©Carrie Lee Connel
3. Becoming Margaret Atwood
I read poetry to fill the time,
since my mind cannot grasp
more than elusive images
or incomplete thoughts.
These are universal truths
that a woman 28 years my senior
tattooed on paper 40 years ago.
And I understand
on a level deeper than words
my mother ever spoke.
I denied her existence
until forced to shred
the skin of verse
down to bone.
Now I can’t shake her.
What was once intangible
sits at my core:
an uncomfortable stone,
swallowed for safe keeping,
embedded in stomach lining.
©Carrie Lee Connel
4. Enigma
He is a black-haired man
with hawk nose,
dark eyes behind thick lashes,
two-toned skin patterned with scars,
hairless chest the shade of my best tan.
I wrestle cultural stereotypes.
Said once, “Where to, Kemosabe?”
Wanted to snatch it from the air
where it faded, was shrugged off.
Said he’d heard all the jokes.
His stories shock –
Incarcerated: orphanage and cell.
Tender hands on hot burner.
Tender heart on hot seat.
Falsely accused because someone
didn’t want him around.
Sioux, Métis, Cree, Lakota
but does not know Trickster;
never heard of Louis Riel.
Myth, legend, history:
I am teacher, but he doesn’t really care.
First language French:
“Je t’aime.”
No response.
Is it lack of knowing, remembering,
or lack of mother who never said?
©Carrie Lee Connel
5. Pieces I
We built the house in a village
It was what you wanted
I miss the apartment on Talbot
where the hibiscus bloomed all year
So long ago now
before marriage
Before life became want
and I was the first thing on your list
An object to possess:
the lake house
the fancy car
the sailboat …
I spent a day in pieces
re-arranged
re-assembled
re-imagined
Erase spouse from my resume
I am scholar
I am writer
I am being
©Carrie Lee Connel
THE EVENT
WHERE: The Mykonos Restaurant at 572 Adelaide St. North, London, Ontario. The restaurant has a large, covered terrace just behind the main restaurant, which comfortably holds 60 poetry lovers. Mediterranean food and drinks are available. Overflow parking is available across the side street and in the large lot one block north, in front of Trad’s Furniture.
WHEN: Thursday, January 2nd. Most of our events are held on the first Wednesday of the month, but this time that is New Years Day, a holiday.
LIVE MUSIC: Jan Figurski, the musician/poet we all so enjoyed at the Oct. 2nd event, will reprise his role as musician, from 6:30 to 7:00, as well as during the intermission. Figurski has one published recording: Screen Door Slam, Live at the Tostal. He currently plays mandolin, guitar, and harmonica, and has sung with a variety of acoustic roots groups, including Paper Moon, and Love Child.
Interview with Jan Figurski leading up to his Oct. 2013 featured reading.
Biography relating to Figurski's poetic career
FEATURED POET: Carrie Lee Connel will begin reading shortly after 7:00, followed by a Q&A.
OPEN MIC: Following the featured poet, there is about 1.5 hours of open mic. Each open mic poet has five minutes to read (which is about two good pages of poetry, but it should be timed at home). Those who want to read will write their names in a spot of their choosing on a list at the book table at the back. They will also be asked to check 'yes' if they don't mind being photographed and videotaped during their reading. (Note: First come, first served. There are fifteen spots.)
RAFFLE PRIZES: Anyone who donates to London Open Mic Poetry Night receives a ticket for a raffle prize, three of which will be picked. The prizes consist of poetry books donated by Brick Books and The Ontario Poetry Society. Donations are our only source of income. We still haven't paid off our initial debt.
Five Poems
1. An Hour by the Avon
The poet does not write.
She watches the people walk
on the path by the river.
Watches the swan-feeders
throw corn about the ground
and the water-graceful swans heave
their land-awkward bodies from the river
amidst the mallards and gulls.
She does not blankly watch the scene;
instead, a line flits through her mind
to be caught and considered,
captured or discarded,
until there are several lines
and she is content to start.
©Carrie Lee Connel
2. Where’d you go?
And if tomorrow you didn’t see me,
would you wonder where I was
or would you have forgotten?
I return with groceries,
surprising you out of reverie.
Were you reliving a memory of me
or a scene from a long-repressed movie?
It eats away mementos;
a cancer through your temporal lobes.
Instants of lucidity:
The chance to say “I love you”
and receive the perfect response.
How much of who you are
will remain at the last?
©Carrie Lee Connel
3. Becoming Margaret Atwood
I read poetry to fill the time,
since my mind cannot grasp
more than elusive images
or incomplete thoughts.
These are universal truths
that a woman 28 years my senior
tattooed on paper 40 years ago.
And I understand
on a level deeper than words
my mother ever spoke.
I denied her existence
until forced to shred
the skin of verse
down to bone.
Now I can’t shake her.
What was once intangible
sits at my core:
an uncomfortable stone,
swallowed for safe keeping,
embedded in stomach lining.
©Carrie Lee Connel
4. Enigma
He is a black-haired man
with hawk nose,
dark eyes behind thick lashes,
two-toned skin patterned with scars,
hairless chest the shade of my best tan.
I wrestle cultural stereotypes.
Said once, “Where to, Kemosabe?”
Wanted to snatch it from the air
where it faded, was shrugged off.
Said he’d heard all the jokes.
His stories shock –
Incarcerated: orphanage and cell.
Tender hands on hot burner.
Tender heart on hot seat.
Falsely accused because someone
didn’t want him around.
Sioux, Métis, Cree, Lakota
but does not know Trickster;
never heard of Louis Riel.
Myth, legend, history:
I am teacher, but he doesn’t really care.
First language French:
“Je t’aime.”
No response.
Is it lack of knowing, remembering,
or lack of mother who never said?
©Carrie Lee Connel
5. Pieces I
We built the house in a village
It was what you wanted
I miss the apartment on Talbot
where the hibiscus bloomed all year
So long ago now
before marriage
Before life became want
and I was the first thing on your list
An object to possess:
the lake house
the fancy car
the sailboat …
I spent a day in pieces
re-arranged
re-assembled
re-imagined
Erase spouse from my resume
I am scholar
I am writer
I am being
©Carrie Lee Connel
THE EVENT
WHERE: The Mykonos Restaurant at 572 Adelaide St. North, London, Ontario. The restaurant has a large, covered terrace just behind the main restaurant, which comfortably holds 60 poetry lovers. Mediterranean food and drinks are available. Overflow parking is available across the side street and in the large lot one block north, in front of Trad’s Furniture.
WHEN: Thursday, January 2nd. Most of our events are held on the first Wednesday of the month, but this time that is New Years Day, a holiday.
LIVE MUSIC: Jan Figurski, the musician/poet we all so enjoyed at the Oct. 2nd event, will reprise his role as musician, from 6:30 to 7:00, as well as during the intermission. Figurski has one published recording: Screen Door Slam, Live at the Tostal. He currently plays mandolin, guitar, and harmonica, and has sung with a variety of acoustic roots groups, including Paper Moon, and Love Child.
Interview with Jan Figurski leading up to his Oct. 2013 featured reading.
Biography relating to Figurski's poetic career
FEATURED POET: Carrie Lee Connel will begin reading shortly after 7:00, followed by a Q&A.
OPEN MIC: Following the featured poet, there is about 1.5 hours of open mic. Each open mic poet has five minutes to read (which is about two good pages of poetry, but it should be timed at home). Those who want to read will write their names in a spot of their choosing on a list at the book table at the back. They will also be asked to check 'yes' if they don't mind being photographed and videotaped during their reading. (Note: First come, first served. There are fifteen spots.)
RAFFLE PRIZES: Anyone who donates to London Open Mic Poetry Night receives a ticket for a raffle prize, three of which will be picked. The prizes consist of poetry books donated by Brick Books and The Ontario Poetry Society. Donations are our only source of income. We still haven't paid off our initial debt.
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