I've been very busy preparing for and attending the Al Purdy's Festival. As usual, I don't understand how come there are very few people I've spoken to who knows who Al Purdy was and still is. (One of Canada's greatest poets.) Sad to know that Canadians know so little about there own literature, especially that have thoughts about life now and after death. This picture I took the last day at Purdy's monument in Ameliasburg cemetery. The picture leaning on it was loaned by his wife Eurithe to show us Al as he used to walk there without any thoughts that he might be buried there. He still is considered as Canada's People's Poet. I think, people don't read poetry much because they don't know how. I've been taught that reading poems one has to be able to take time and read between the lines. Every poet puts his or hers emotions, good or bad, in it without realizing if their words have helped them to grow. Every book we read should teach us something.
I can't understand why so little literature are taught at schools today. Why do we have writers period? Just to fill newspapers with scandal reports and unreal advertising?
At this festival there were poets from Montreal, Ottawa, Sarnia, Hamilton, Toronto and many smaller places. It was an entertainment as well as seminars for who ever liked to learn more how to write. This was the third year there. The poem readings were amazing. I wonder how come Alliston does not have enough interest in hearing some of the writers in person. Have we turned too materialistic and take poetry just as an imagination? Sad not to know there are more to it.
