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Winter 2005
Across Ages
Serendipity marks this issue of Reflections on Water. Subject
matter, authors, artists seemed to find one another and
fall into place. As often is the case for ROW, this issue
begins with Lynda Williams. Last summer, I met my friend
Lynda at Fortune Palace for a meeting of Norspec, a small
group of science fiction writers, and of course, lunch.
I told her about Ida Cutler, a Vanderhoof poet who hoped
to be published. Significantly, Ida is 92 years old. Lynda
and I tossed around some ideas about older writers like
Ida and the younger students I teach, where do the minds
meet? From that discussion we developed this issue: Across
Ages.
Ida Cutler was brought into my world by Joy Butler, Ida's
neighbor, and member of the
Federation of BC Writers. Joy came to a Fed meeting, and
as I am northern representative, brought Ida's ambition
to my attention. I received an envelope with a CD of Ida's
work, "ready to go." Over 60 poems! Too many for
ROW to be able to showcase! To find the poems that best
spoke to the young people of today, I called on the students
in my Writing 12 class at Prince George Senior Secondary
to help me make a selection. I narrowed the range to three
sets of 12 poems, and I asked the students to select their
favorite three each time. Their favorites appear here in
this issue, with several that I had to print because they
spoke to me! I have a suspicion you will be able to tell
which poems were student choices and which were mine!
The serendipity of this issue continued when Si Trasken
responded to the call for submissions with the proposal
to interview Jacqueline Baldwin, nationally renowned local
poet. Si's interview, a labor of love, reflects the intellectual
and poetic serendipity of these two women. Laced with snippets
of Jackie's poetry, the words of the poet are nestled Si's
lyric prose.
Audrey Smedley L'Heureux attended that same serendipitous
Fed meeting, and she immediately volunteered to contribute
to this issue. Included here is a brief excerpt from the
complete transcription of the oral interview conducted by
Melanie Rutherford as part of the Young Canada Works project
of the Prince George Public Library, summer 2004. Audrey
offered as well two examples of her artwork: a self portrait
and a multi media visual art representation Central BC Heritage,
further evidence of her renaissance talents!
Building a bridge between this issue and future issues
of ROW, Michelle Read, who will be next editor, contributes
both a narrative and poetry here.
Across Ages has to include the opposite end of the spectrum.
Secondary student contributions offer two views of grandparents.
Geoffery Receveur describes a ride in the country, and Chelsey
Holzworth honors her heritage.
The assembly of the issue has been an honor, and it is
always fun to have an excuse to work with Lynda.
Elizabeth McInerney Woods
Teacher, Prince George Secondary School
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