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Writing Now

Writing Now

by Chantel Lavoie

A year ago or so I
brought my pen to joy—
feeling less felt these days
en masse. It was 
in gratitude for skates:
my husband in them
gangly as Bambi among
the other masked ice-lovers
circling the square. This year
weeks of pneumonia weakened
in deep new snow his foot rolls 
in its ski. His ankle twists.
Limping bruised, kept inside 
still and again (the pandemic like
Milton Acorn’s “sled over gravel”
in a poem about the classes)
he is suffering. Freezing rains
glaze the red berried trees
overnight, and slender filaments
of sleeping life hang like holy icicles. 
But he cannot walk the dogs he loves
or breathe easy past the window.
And I am at a loss to help him.

About this Poem

Chantel Lavoie lives in Kingston with her husband, two sons, two cats, and two dogs. She teaches in the Department of English, Culture, and Communication at the Royal Military College. Her second book of poetry, This is About Angels, Women, and Men, appeared with Mansfield Press (2021). Her first collection, Where the Terror Lies (2012)is available at KFPL.

About the Poetry Blackboard

The Poetry Blackboard showcases poems curated by Kingston's Poet Laureate and written by Kingston poets. There's a new poem every month, written by poets living and dead, historical and contemporary, published and unpublished, adults and children, giving full range to the cultural voice of Kingston. Started in 2015 by Helen Humphreys, the Poetry Blackboard has been continued since 2019 by Jason Heroux.

We wish to thank Helen Humphreys, Kingston's second Poet Laureate, for her generous support of emerging and established poets in Kingston through library programming and our Poetry Blackboard project. Throughout her four years as Poet Laureate, Helen curated a digital collection of poetry to showcase the talents of local creators of all ages, both historic and contemporary. Helen also offered several opportunities for emerging poets to develop their craft, offering group workshops and one-on-one mentorship. Her active engagement with the library and community has been greatly appreciated.

In 2019 we welcomed the incoming Poet Laureate, Jason Heroux, who continues to curate the Poetry Blackboard and to develop new community programming.

Previously Published Poems