What’s Kimberly Peterson Reading?
I keep poetry books on my bedside table so that I can begin my day with a teaspoon of quiet reflection. Hand Shadows (Wintergreen Studio Press, 2024) sits on top of my stack these days. It captured my attention by featuring two of my favourite passions: poetry and dance. Susan Wismer responds poetically to dancers Michele Greene and Suzette Sherman of Passionate Heart – Women’s Stories Through Dance. The black-and-white photographs of these expert dancers capture their physical embodiment of unfiltered emotion in exquisite detail. Wismer replies with words rooted in the soil and passing seasons. She infuses everyday tasks like threading a needle or unearthing a radish with deeper meaning and resilience. This uplifting collaboration is accessible to those new to poetry. The authors certainly achieve their goal of highlighting the particular importance of creative arts during times of upheaval, fear, and uncertainty. I can feel the soft smudge of feet /on the floor.
Kimberly Peterson is a retired nurse who lives as an uninvited guest on the unceded lands of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg in rural Ottawa. Inspired by the wildlife that surrounds her, she is thankful for her partner. He cares for gardens that welcome pollinators, fills bird feeders, and understands that poetry takes priority over (almost) everything.
Photo by Álvaro Serrano on Unsplash