What We Came Away With | Edmonton Poetry Festival

Anna Marie Sewell and John Leppard

As the 2014 Edmonton poetry Festival draws to a close, we thought we’d offer some round-up thoughts from some of our organizers and poets.

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“This festival was about reconnecting with visiting poets and hearing voices that were new to me. Throughout the festival, I was reminded of how powerful it can be to hear someone read their own work out loud.”
– Alexis Kienlen

“Morning light flooding City Hall for Praxis – Writing Revolution in Place, a collaboration between U of A students and a group of inner city people. Among all the assured master poets we heard last week, these voices (sometimes halting) were the ones to remind me how vital it is to express, to shape words, to say.”
– Alice Major

“I came away with an even stronger emotional bond to this poetry community and a great love for the diversity of the poetic art form. I came away with a greater respect for the support of this city and everyone in it! Mostly I came away exhausted and elevated.”
– Rayanne Doucet

“I came away with a great appreciation for the diversity of voices that the festival presents. From accomplished masters to slam champions to newcomers trembling at the mic, it’s that diversity that is the binding power of this festival, and what makes it so special.”
– Michael Gravel

Thanks to all who attended and supported the festival in 2014. It means the world to us. Tomorrow, Alice Major will offer some thoughts on the festival’s traditional finale, The Cafe Readings, wherein the community at large celebrates by reading their work in venues around downtown.