Eerie. Magical. Outrageous. These are just a few of the words the renowned Vernon writer and writing instructor John Lent uses to describe how it feels to hold in his hands Molecular Cathedral: The Poetry of John Lent (Wilfred Laurier University Press).
Magical, he says, because of the way the 乌鸦传媒渁stonishing乌鸦传媒� Kelowna poet Jake Kennedy made the selections out of seven books of poetry Lent published from 1978 to 2019.
乌鸦传媒淚t was fascinating to see what he chose,乌鸦传媒� says Lent, whose published books also include one volume of short stories and two novels. 乌鸦传媒淚 trusted him completely.乌鸦传媒�
In fact, the idea for the collection was Kennedy乌鸦传媒檚.
Two years ago, the two writers met for coffee one middle of the road, grey, late fall morning near the airport. They sat down and Kennedy told Lent that he乌鸦传媒檇 already pitched the idea to the very enthusiastic editorial team behind the famous Laurier Poetry Series.
乌鸦传媒淚 remember sitting there with my mouth open, not really knowing what to say except, 乌鸦传媒楾hank you...乌鸦传媒� It was such a beautiful surprise, one of the best gifts I have ever received in my life,乌鸦传媒� says Lent, who乌鸦传媒檇 once taught from the poetry series in his writing classes at Okanagan College.
Now, to see the poems of his that span a life, his life, that乌鸦传媒檚 where the eeriness comes in: the 乌鸦传媒渕ysterious unity乌鸦传媒� in vision and form Lent could see in poems that had been written over nearly 50 years; the material that fascinated him, and 乌鸦传媒渢he ways in which I had learned to use language to release that material as form;乌鸦传媒� and 乌鸦传媒渢he slow evolution of my own poetic eye and ear, and my slow pursuit of a 'daring' form乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮綕
Indeed, Lent乌鸦传媒檚 poetry is experimental and unexpected 乌鸦传媒� and also wonderfully accessible, conversational, lyrical (Lent is also a singer-songwriter).
What was outrageous about flipping through the pages of the whole collection? The 乌鸦传媒渟ense of how much time had passed in my life and how humbled I felt seeing that aspect of everything as one thing in a book...yikes.乌鸦传媒�
What Lent also sees when he looks at the cover of Molecular Cathedral is the vibrant and sensual abstract painting, Say Yes, painted by his wife, Jude Clarke.
Several of her paintings will be featured at the Valley Voices reading series celebrating the launch of Molecular Cathedral.
乌鸦传媒淏eing included in John乌鸦传媒檚 book launch is very moving and joyous as this will be our first joint project,乌鸦传媒� says Clarke, who paints water, land, and sky abstract images that often feature an expression of inner consciousness focusing on the dual meaning of gravity.
Clarke says she乌鸦传媒檚 always been influenced by Kalamalka Lake, and her Okanagan paintings are very different from what she painted the years she and Lent spent in France and Scotland, living the life of artists. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e thrilled.乌鸦传媒�
The Valley Voices John Lent readings take place in Kelowna on Saturday, Oct. 19, 7-9 p.m. at Sprout Bakery and Caf茅; and in Vernon on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2-5 p.m. at the Vernon Library.
Valley Voices is also hosting a fiction festival in Kelowna Nov. 1-2. Learn more at .
Valley Voices Okanagan is a reading series that celebrates local writing and writers at all ages and stages of their craft. Valley Voices began in 2022 with readings in Vernon, Kelowna and Summerland that are filled with creative energy, joy and community.
