Writing Sample

Peggy Fletcher reading at Canadian Poet Al Purdy’s grave.

The Spirit of Peggy

by Debbie Okun Hill

And don’t you see…we’re part of the rhythm. Quarter notes, half notes, full notes…bleeding into a great lyric sound. Listen, can you hear it…it’s all around you…It’s in the sunset. –spoken by Klee Wyck (Emily Carr’s alter ego), a character in Peggy Fletcher’s play, THE SHINING FEW: A Dramatic Tribute To Emily Carr

She runs barefoot over river beds
holding hands now with Emily Carr
slipping her childlike fingers
through scenic waterfalls,
toting pots of iridescent paint,
an easel, and a brush or two.
Her tearless eyes relieved of pain.
Her inner strength rewarded.

And don’t you see…

She’s climbing Emily’s totem poles
seeking unmarked frog trails
exploring indigenous paths
surrounded by red cedars,
legendary poets and artists plus
the ‘laughing one’ with her spirit muse
thunder clapping the snap of sonnets.

She’s part of the rhythm.

A big raven is strumming its wings
against harp-shaped branches.
A chorus of pillow clouds
cradles her head, filling her mind with
quarter notes, half notes, full notes.

The way they shape her smile
lip syncing the drum tapping feet
of a grey wolf in motion,
the rustle of leaves and paintbrush,
her watercolor of words
bleeding into a great lyric sound.

She swirls in pine-scented winds
slips metaphors inside your ears,
a small poem or two, whispered faint
like a trickle of a haiku, spring-fed.

Listen , can you hear it..

A high pitched vibration
like a cicada inside a mouth,
cosmic meshing of cultures,
what it takes to survive
waltzing in a new frontier.

She’s all around you

Her beauty of words
Her love of nature
She’s in the sunrise.
She’s in the sunset.

(First published here on The Ontario Poetry Society website January 19, 2012 to current)

(Reprinted in She’s All Around You: A Collection of Tribute Poems For Peggy Fletcher, Beret Days Press, 2012 ISBN:978-1-897497-69-2)

SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE ON-LINES ZINES WHO HAVE PUBLISHED MY WORK:

“Alphabets. on the Wall” reprinted October 30, 2020 on the League of Canadian Poet’s “Poetry Pause” feature.

“100 Percent Acrylic” reprinted September 2, 2020 on the League of Canadian Poet’s “Poetry Pause” feature.

“A is for Apple Anomalies” reprinted August 25, 2020 on The Lawrence House Centre for the Arts UPROAR blog.

“Turning a Corner” reprinted July 20, 2020 on the League of Canadian Poet’s “Poetry Pause” feature.

“A Bulldog Named Sugar” reprinted March 8, 2019 on the League of Canadian Poet’s “Poetry Pause” feature.

“Inside a Magician’s Black Hat” published in the March 2014 adventure issue of Halfway Down the Stairs.

“Spilling Warm Lemonade” from my book Tarnished Trophies (Black Moss Press, 2014) featured as a Leaf Press Monday’s Poem (September 8, 2014)

SPECIAL THANKS TO “GOODREADS” FOR KEEPING TRACK OF MY ON-LINE BOOK REVIEWS OF ALL GENRES:

My rankings and reviews of books read in 2022 appears here.

My ranking and reviews of books read in 2021 appears here and in 2020 appears here.

Rankings and reviews of books read in earlier years can also be found at the Goodreads site.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE WHO HAVE BROADCAST MY WORK:

Three poems from by debut poetry collection Tarnished Trophies were broadcast on Finding a Voice on cfrc 101.9 fm. Hear the archive broadcast from October 31, 2014 from 4 to 5 p.m. (39:00 to 46: 30) My reading was originally taped at “Poetry at the Artel”, an open mic event held Tuesday, October 7, 2014 in Kingston, Ontario.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE VIRTUAL ART BAR POETRY READING SERIES FOR THIS FEATURED VIDEO POSTING:

July 28, 2020 online reading – See video here.

SPECIAL THANKS TO STAN BURFIELD AND THE LONDON OPEN MIC POETRY COMMITTEE FOR THESE VIDEO-RECORDINGS:

December 3, 2015 featured reading – See video here.

April 5, 2017 open mic reading – See video here.

SPECIAL THANKS TO MELISSA UPFOLD OF CALCULATED COLOUR CO. FOR VIDEO-RECORDING MY READINGS:

Spoken Word Sarnia – August 28, 2015 – See video here.

Spoken Word Sarnia – September 25, 2015 – See video here.

Spoken Word Sarnia -February 27, 2016 – See video here.

SPECIAL THANKS TO MONIQUE BERRY OF PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE FOR VIDEO-RECORDING MY READING:

Reading from the July 2010 issue of Perspective Magazine – See video here.

LAST UPDATED: October 28, 2022