Summer Dreams Literary Festival

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the literary festival at Lumberman's Arch in Stanley Park. Here in this place that I came to so often as a child with my mother, here where as a teenager I came with my highschool best friend Suzie Cackette to our first Easter Be-in or later in my 20's sitting up on the back of a convertable soaking up the first Spring rays of the sun, feeling the wind in my hair, listening to Reggae music blasting through the speakers.

Here in this place that holds so many precious memories, I meet some friends to attend the Summer Dreams Literary festival. I arrive 2 hours late after a 2.5 hour hellish commute from Langley, but soon the magic of this place works it's wonder as I take in not only the talented poets and writers readings but the beauty of the day, the scent of the sea laden air and being amongst a company of those who love writing in all it's different facets as I do.

I play a word game, taking letter tiles to create words, and win a book of choice. The drive slips away as I settle in to enjoy a children's author, wizard's hat perched upon his head as he reads from one of his books. After his tales are told, I make my way to a different stage and hear a variety of spoken words artists practicing their craft, each with such a different style and each a master in their own right, one in particular stands out, the cadence of his voice, as it rises and falls with the rythym of his words, the way his words draw a myriad of visual images that dance through my vision keeping time with his voice.

Then after listening to a panel on the correlation that some poets feel ( myself included) between healing and writing, and one who feels opposed to that view, I am filled and off I go to find my own voice once more.

Inspired by those fellow writers and poets who weave their craft so beautifully, I am so grateful
to have a voice and the freedom to use it.

I am so grateful to the organizers for creating such a wonderful gathering of wordsmiths in one location to connect and inspire each other. And to my writer's group who keep me inspired to do what I love to do, write.