Page Banner

Two Large Forms

Two Large Forms

by Winona Linn

Contemplating large two forms on the corner of Dundas and McCaul

I thought of your curls

and the teapot, discarded

the glass that grazed your neck

and of un-popped pustules

volcanic skin care

pumice stones and obsidian earrings from that year you were Icelandic

we were igneous once,

and burned

and burned and burned Henry Moore cast his shapes in bronze, they saw fire too.

Contemplating large two forms on the corner of Dundas and McCaul I thought of

your nose

a Great Expectations nose

a Tale of Two Cities nose

a Charlton Heston nose.

No, I didn’t mean that

I meant a Charles Dickens nose

I get those two confused sometimes.

About this Poem

Published in The Truth About Rabbits (2015), which features the poetry of Winona Linn and the wood-engravings of Canadian printmaker and publisher Larry Thompson. A copy of the poem and the original illustration appear on the Winona Linn's website.

The Henry Moore sculpture referenced in the poem is at the Art Gallery of Ontario and a photo appears on the AGO’s Art Matters blog. 

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 There's a new poem every month, written by poets living and dead, historical and contemporary, published and unpublished, adults and children, giving full range to the cultural voice of Kingston.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