by MacAndrew Clarke
On Monday, June 6, 2016, Canada’s Parliamentary Poet George Elliott Clarke, was the guest speaker at this year’s Cathedral Arts Dinner Lecture series which was held at the Great Hall of Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Ottawa. The Cathedral Arts is a volunteer organization that: “celebrates and promotes the visual, performing and culinary arts” in Ottawa. The emcee of the evening was Ken Porter, a volunteer on the Cathedral Arts management team.
With light jazz and swing from artists such as Louis Armstrong playing softly in background, guests networked with each other, as well as with Mr. Clarke, while enjoying the first part of the Scotian themed meal: a blueberry fizz welcome drink. Following the meet and greet, participants were treated to an authentic 5 course meal consisting of mini tarts & fish cakes for appetizers, seafood chowder or a vegan, gluten-free corn chowder soup to start, mixed green salad, roasted chicken supreme with Nova Scotia tier sauce or vegan, gluten-free mixed mushroom pilaf with baby spinach as a main, and bread pudding with rum sauce for desert.
After the meal, Mr. Clarke read poems written in his books entitled “Blue” “Black” and “Red”. The poems read from“Blue” were on green spaces and landmarks whereas other works described seasons. Some poems read from “Black” were on politics and life in Ottawa. As each poem was read, Clarke articulated and delivered each piece in a different way. This, in addition to the passion behind every performance, kept guests engaged and tuned in to what was being said. Sometimes, someone, or a couple of a people, would make that hummed sound where you know that the person got the true meaning behind a verse. Other times, people would laugh as some poems had double entendres and Clarke’s own brand of observational comedy. While not all poems that were read that evening focused on nature and politics, all of them were interesting and received with a generous applause.
Before the evening came to close, members of the audience had the opportunity to ask Clarke some questions to which he gave thorough answers and explanations on things such as his own creative process, his choice of delivery, and sources of inspiration. Once that session concluded, guests were free to mingle among each other and have a second opportunity to meet with Clarke as he was signing copy of his books.
About the writer
MacAndrew Clarke holds a B.A. (Hons) in Political Science from Carleton University. Fluently bilingual in English and French, he has several years diverse communications and marketing experience from within the public, private, and non-profit sectors. MacAndrew Clarke has been a member of The Academy since December of 2015. He can be reached at: [email protected].
MacAndrew Clarke