It began on a snowy evening in January 2018.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
At the old Stony Plain Public Library, Lisa Mulrooney and Carolyn Cordell patiently awaited the arrival of an unspecified number of people attending the first-ever gathering of the Parkland Poets. It was Jan. 25, Robbie Burns Day.
Months before, during their weekly pilgrimage to the Stroll of Poets Society in Edmonton, Mulrooney and Cordell had lamented the fact there was not a poetry group closer to home in Stony Plain. While the conversation sparked some incentive to start their own society, the pair were unsure how to go about making the idea a reality.
“Writing is a very solitary act so when you’re able to come together with people with similar interests, it helps you to pursue your own passions. We were having to drive into Edmonton in order to do that. It’s been amazing that so many local people have been able to access that resource through the Parkland Poets,” said Mulrooney.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
One day, Mulrooney mentioned the conversation to her father, Gerry McDonnell. A regular patron of the Stony Plain Public Library, McDonnell took it upon himself to present the idea to Allison Stewart, the library’s then-director. Before long, a date was set for the inaugural meeting of what was first called the Parkland Poets’ Collective.
A total of 14 people braved the cold to make it to the first meeting, with some ironically coming all the way from Edmonton. A handful of those present became the founding and inaugural board members of the Parkland Poets including Lisa Mulrooney, Carolyn Cordell, Allison Stewart, Leanne Myggland-Carter, Corinna McDonald, Vivian Souder, Matthew Dekker, Gary Gully, and Joy Pritchard.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
“We didn’t expect hardly anybody to come out and it was quite amazing to us to have 14 people show up in a blizzard. We really are a family. I love that we’re all there for each other and how gratifying it’s become. I hope it carries on for a long time because it’s been an amazing five years that has been so good for so many people,” said Cordell.
Five years later, the Parkland Poets have blossomed into an international society with 68 active members from Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia — many of whom found solace in the Parkland Poets during the loneliest days of the pandemic.
Now based out of the new Stony Plain Public Library, the group meets every second (online) and fourth (in person) Thursday of the month from September to June for scheduled readings and an open mic. The society’s sole mission is to share their love of poetry with the world.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received from the community as well as the strength and positivity of the individuals who are involved. There have been a lot of great ones who have helped the Parkland Poets stay afloat and keep achieving its mission of being a really welcoming and inspiring group of poetry enthusiasts,” said Mulrooney.
Lynn Gale has served as President of the Parkland Poets’ since March of this year. Since first becoming a member in 2019, she said the society has helped her to network with poets of all ages and skill levels as well as develop her ability to read her poetry aloud.
“I have realized there is poetry in everything and that there are a lot more people out there who love poetry more than they would like to admit. People need a place where they can be listened to and encouraged. It’s a really lovely thing to see when you can bring all these different age groups together through their common love of words,” said Gale.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Since 2018, the Parkland Poets have released an annual anthology titled, Outlying Voices. In addition to sharing the work of the members with the world, the annual anthology also provides new poets with the chance to get published — often for the first time.
A total of 49 members contributed to this year’s anthology which was centred around the theme, ‘Roots and Routes.’ Gale said the theme was inspired by the question of where the community collectively stands post-pandemic and where we are headed.
“When you get such different variations on the same theme in 49 poems, it shows me how diverse our voices are. It has widened my appreciation for how people think,” said Gale.
The anthology features a dedication to Mulrooney and Cordell, the founding members, in honour of the fifth anniversary of the Parkland Poets.
The Parkland Poets’ last reading of the season will take place on Thursday, Jun. 22, before the society breaks for the summer. However, some members will be out and about at community events in July and August in an effort to recruit more participants for the fall.
“The sky is the limit. Growing the society has been a slow process but an enjoyable one. It’s not about the end it’s about how we’re doing along the way,” said Gale.