Prince Albert Poets

I love to support local talent - musical, visual and written. I attend many local concerts, art shows and author readings. It is important that we celebrate the creativity of people in our own community. I never fail to be amazed at the calibre and quality of our homegrown talent. Last night I went to a poetry reading by two very brilliant poets who happen to be friends of mine. Both have published books of their poetry. Lynda Monahan read from her latest book, which is not yet published, "Red Shoes In The Snow". Lynda is an amazing poet. Her words draw you into her world as she writes about the pain of losing her mother as a young girl and losing her brother as a young adult. She wrote a poem for a lifelong friend who passed away last year, regretting that she did not write it for him when he was alive. An important lesson taught through her prose: make sure to tell the people you love how you feel. Don't wait until it is too late. Veryl Coghill read from her new book, also not yet published. The poems in her book were about her husband, Mark. Mark and Veryl separated after many years of marriage. Two years after their separation, Mark was told he had terminal cancer. Veryl brought Mark back into her home, into what had been their home when they were married and with their two children, nursed and took care of Mark. He died in that home on Christmas Day, 2009, laying in his bed overlooking the river, a view he loved. Veryl's poetry is about the pain of losing Mark, first through separation then through death. Mark and I were very close friends. Veryl's words brought him back to life for me and reminded me of the wonderful, loving person he was. Mark will remain alive and vibrant through his wife's poetry. His sense of humour, his love of family, his passion for life and his artistic ability are sealed forever in Veryl's poetry. His children, only in their teens when he died, will come to know their father better through those words. Two amazing women with amazing poetic abilities who joined together to share their poetry . . . it's a good thing!