The First White of Winter Poems

This is my second poetry chapbook, which contains poems that were mostly written in a section of Edmonton known as Little Italy. I like it here a lot, though the neighborhood has problems, there are many great people here from the guy who volunteers all winter to run a skating rink for disadvantaged kids to the most kind and caring Priest I have ever met. I feel I owe a debt to all of the members of my community because in their own way each of them has taught me how to care, to love, to give and how to live better, which has made it possible for me to write and make a reasonable success of my efforts. When I write my poems, I try to dig deep down and bring out things that we all share-love, caring, admiration, generosity. All the things that are good about people. As of late, when I was in the middle of writing this chapbook, I have joined forces with two different poetry organizations which has really helped me to grow and perhaps even more important, to feel a sense of belonging as a writer. I don't care much if I never get rich from my poetry or fiction, but I do care that it gets out and that as many people as possible get something out of what I have put down on the page.

I started writing poetry at an early age, having written my first poem in grade two for father's day. "Roses are red, violets are blue: coffee is strong and so are you." and I was very interested each year in sending stories to the Canadian Legion for Nov.11/ Remembrance Day. By Grade five I was illustrating and writing my own comic books but didn't get serious about writing, until age 20 though it had long been in the back of my mind. At age 18 I went through some troubles with my mental health and after leaving a hospital I had the time and will to start writing seriously. I felt I should put my efforts into short stories and poetry first, to learn conservation of nouns and verbs and such and to be able to paint stirring images in few words, something I wanted to one day be able to do with longer works. I have written four longer works, two fiction and two about my own life and struggles with mental illness, and I can't see myself slowing down at any point. Right now I work for the Union that handles labour for stage and screen, and the work and pay is so great that I can pursue my writing part-time and work part-time and get along really well.