Home »
inSpirited poetry and Dead Crow at Kaleidoscope
On Wednesday evening, August 10, Kimberley Kaleidoscope 2016 moves from puppetry and painting to poetry, presenting ‘inSpirited,’ a performance of poetry and music in Studio 64.
The talents of local poets Heather Wattie, Jennifer Morgan, Lori Craig, Adam Tomlinson, and Mike Redfern and introducing New Denver poet and local historian, Arthur Sean Joyce, author of the recently published volume of poetry, ‘The Price of Transcendence,’ will be presented.
Accompanying Joyce and interspersed between the other readings will be music by guitarist Noel Fudge, also of New Denver.
“How would it change our behaviour if we believed the Earth was alive? What would it mean if we were to consider the world as inSpirited, infused with spirit?” These are some of the themes engaged by Sean Arthur Joyce in his 2015 book of poems, The Price of Transcendence. The book uses poetry as an empathic technique to see the world through the eyes of the creatures with whom we share this planet.
“At a time of global climate change, it’s vital to shift our view from the human-centred perspective through which we’ve traditionally seen the world,” says Joyce. “Here in the Kootenays we’re blessed by being so close to nature. For many of us, it’s literally just a step out our back door to walk into a forest or dip our hands into a mountain stream. But for the first time in human history, the majority of Earth’s population now lives in cities. It’s more important than ever that we try to see the world through the eyes of a grizzly, or a mountain caribou, or even a chickadee.”
In addition to reading from The Price of Transcendence, Joyce will be premiering at Kaleidoscope a performance poem titled Dead Crow: Prologue. Part of a book-length work-in-progress designed to blur the boundaries of literary poetry and the newly burgeoning spoken word and performance poetry scene in North America, Dead Crow is a fully fledged character with a god’s-eye view of history.
A cross between the Haida Raven Creator-Trickster, Celtic Morrigan crow goddess, and a jaded Philip Marlowe with a bad attitude, Dead Crow is exiled to Earth as an outcast for an act of hubris. His insights range from the wistful and nostalgic to cutting insights about our shadow side and a guarded optimism about the possibilities for social evolution.
Joyce will appear in costume with musician Noel Fudge performing a live soundtrack to the piece. This will be the first time the Prologue has been performed live, and with a specially composed soundtrack.
‘inSpirited’ starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $12 adult, $10 youth 18 and under, available at [email protected] or 250-427-4919.
Kimberley Kaleidoscope 2016
