Writes of Spring poetry project deadline looms

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This article was published 22/03/2025 (568 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With National Poetry Month (read: April) right around the corner, Plume Winnipeg’s Writes of Spring project is once again looking to publish your poems in the pages of the Free Press.

And while previous years have featured a theme for poets to work with, for this 10th edition scribes can write about any subject they choose, so long as it’s on the shorter side (25 lines or less per poem, up to five poems).

Once again spearheading and editing the Writes of Spring project is Winnipeg poet/author (and Free Press copy editor) Ariel Gordon, who will be joined this year by Plume Winnipeg’s Charlene Diehl as co-editor.

Poets selected for the Saturday, April 26 Writes of Spring feature in the Free Press will receive $75, and will read their wares at McNally Robinson Booksellers’ Grant Park location at the launch of Writes of Spring, which takes place Sunday, April 27 at 2 p.m.

The deadline to submit to Writes of Spring is Sunday, March 30. For more information see wfp.to/WOA or email writesofspring@thinairwinnipeg.ca.

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The newly christened winners of CBC’s Canada Reads will be at Merchants Corner (541 Selkirk Ave.) for a reading and conversation tomorrow afternoon starting at 1:30 p.m.

Canada Reads sees five books in contention for the top book of the annual program, with each title championed by a notable fan. Each day a book is eliminated until only one remains.

The theme of this year’s show was “one book to change the narrative,” with the top prize going to A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder, by Ma-Nee Chacaby with Mary Louisa Plummer and published in 2016 by University of Manitoba Press. The book beat out the novel Dandelion by Jamie Chai Yun Liew in the final round on March 20.

Championing A Two-Spirit Journey on Canada Reads was Shayla Stonechild, wellness advocate and host of the Matriarch Movement podcast. Stonechild will join Chacaby at Sunday afternoon’s event, which will be hosted by Michael Redhead Champagne.

Admission is free; to reserve your spot for the event, see wfp.to/WO6. Copies of A Two-Spirit Journey will be available for purchase and to be signed. Bannock and tea will also be on hand.

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Winnipeg-born, Toronto-based novelist and film/TV writer Georgia Toews returns to McNally Robinson’s Grant Park location on Thursday at 7 p.m. in support of her new book Nobody Asked For This.

The latest novel by the author of Hey, Good Luck Out There follows a twenty-something comedian navigating dysfunctional friendships, grief, relationships gone wrong and more.

Toews will be joined in conversation by Free Press columnist Jen Zoratti.

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With brief books for young readers about Kamala Harris and the leaders of Canada’s major political parties under his belt, Winnipeg cartoonist Kaj Hasselriis’ latest illustrated creation delves into the life of our new prime minister.

Politikids: Mark Carney —From Paper Boy to P.M. tells the story of Carney’s journey from Canada’s North to delivering papers, playing hockey, learning about finance and eventually landing in Ottawa. The book is available in both English and French (the latter thanks to translation by Martine Bordeleau); for more information or to buy print or digital versions of the book, visit politikids.ca.

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It’s last call for this month’s Free Press Book Club, which takes place virtually on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The club will be joined by Edmonton Métis/Ukrainian author Conor Kerr, who will read from and discuss his Giller-shortlisted novel Prairie Edge, which follows a pair of distantly related Métis cousins who release bison into urban Edmonton parks as part of the Land Back movement — and the fallout that ensues.

Kerr will be joined by Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, McNally Robinson event facilitator Daniel Bear and Free Press audience engagement manager Erin Lebar.

Copies of Prairie Edge are available at McNally Robinson; there’s no cost to join the book club or watch the virtual chat. For more information see wfp.to/bookclub.

books@freepress.mb.ca