Jacqueline Pearce

Haiku Secrets: beyond the basics of writing haiku with author Jacquie Pearce

When: Saturday, February 25, 1–2:30pm
Where: at Historic Joy Kogawa House, 1450 West 64th Ave (2 blocks east of Granville Street)

Haiku are small poems that can express a riveting moment of awe or insight and contain a surprising depth of implied story. This workshop will explore some of the characteristics and techniques that give these tiny poems their big impact. We’ll look at examples of modern haiku from around the world, including wining haiku from the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival international haiku contest. Suitable for both new and experienced haiku writers.

Followed by an opportunity to decorate a carp scale with haiku for the koinobori pavilion, which will be displayed at Sakura Days Japan Fair in April.

Haiku Koinobori Painting workshop

When: Saturday, February 25, 3–4:30pm
Cost: Admission by donation. RSVP to info@kogawahouse.com

Paint a giant fabric koi scale with spring images and haiku. The koi scales will be part of a Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival installation at Sakura Days Japan Fair at VanDusen Garden April 8–9.

Children are welcome to join the Koinobori activity if accompanied by an adult.

Jacquie Pearce is the author of several novels for children, as well as poetry for adults. Her haiku have been published in a variety of journals and anthologies and received recognition in several years of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival haiku contest, including “Best Vancouver Haiku” in 2015.

Thanks to the B.C. Arts Council for funding to support this partnership between Historic Joy Kogawa House and author Jacqueline Pearce.

Carole Langille. Photo credit: Karen Runge

Photo credit: Karen Runge

“Courage is a special kind of knowledge. Courage is knowing what not to fear.”
—Plato

Poetry and Daring Workshop with Carole Glasser Langille

When: Saturday, March 4, 2–4:30pm
Where: at Historic Joy Kogawa House
Cost: Workshop is free of charge with an annual membership ($25). Space is limited. Contact info@kogawahouse.com as soon as possible to become a member and reserve a seat.

In this writing workshop we will discuss poetic techniques – assonance, consonance, alliteration. And we will talk about the role courage plays in poetry.

Time will be allotted for participants to write an assigned exercise and read what they’ve written in a supportive environment. We learn so much from hearing other poems and giving critiques with fellow poets.

Workshop is limited to 12 participants.

Carole Glasser Langille is the author of four books of poetry, two collections of short stories, and two children’s books. She has been nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Award in poetry, the Atlantic Poetry Prize, and the Alistair MacLeod Award for Short Fiction. One of her poems was included The Best Canadian Poetry in English, 2015. In 2015-2016 she was Artist/Writer in Residence at the Dalhousie Medical School. She has given readings and workshops in South Africa, India, Kauai, and Paris, France. Currently she is writer-in-residence at Historic Joy Kogawa House while take a short leave from teaching creative writing at Dalhousie University.

Making Space for Women

When: Thursday, March 9, 7:30–9 PM
Where: Historic Joy Kogawa House, 1450 West 64th Avenue, Vancouver
Cost: By donation. RSVP info@kogawahouse.com

Literary readings by:

  • Jónína Kirton
  • Meredith Quartermain
  • Carole Glasser Langille
  • with Rogue Choir

Métis/Icelandic poet Jónína Kirton reads from An Honest Woman, poems that unravel norms of femininity and sexuality.

Author Meredith Quartermain reads from U Girl, a novel set in Vancouver in 1972.

Joined by poet Carole Glasser Langille, currently writer-in-residence at Historic Joy Kogawa House.

With songs of unity through diversity by Rogue Choir, in celebration of International Women’s Day.

Presented in partnership with Room magazine’s Growing Room Feminist Literary Arts Festival.

Next month look for the announcement of a full program of workshops and readings with incoming writer-in-residence Carmen Rodriguez.