Fern G. Z. Carr : part one

Fern G. Z. Carr is a former lawyer, teacher and past President of both the local branch of the BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Project Literacy Kelowna Society.  She is a Full Member of the League of Canadian Poets and has served as the League's Poet-in-Residence mentoring young writers.  A Pushcart Prize nominee, Carr composes and translates poetry in six languages including Mandarin.  She has been published extensively worldwide from Finland to Mauritius.

Honours include: being cited as a contributor to India's Prakalpana Literary Movement; having had her work taught at West Virginia University; having a Juno-nominated musician set her poetry to music and perform it; and an online feature in The Globe and Mail.  Her poem, “I Am”, was chosen by the former Parliamentary Poet Laureate as Poem of the Month for Canada. 

Carr's debut poetry collection, Shards of Crystal (Silver Bow Publishing, 2018) is available on Amazon. 

Carr is thrilled to have one of her poems currently orbiting the planet Mars aboard NASA’S MAVEN spacecraft. www.ferngzcarr.com

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Keith Levit Photography

Why is poetry important?

Poetry is an intrinsic part of our culture. That said, its definition is somewhat elusive.  What strikes one person as "poetry" or "poetic" can mean something entirely different to someone else.  Yet, despite the form or interpretation, I have always maintained that poetry is compact story-telling.  As such, it is an integral part of who we are as a people.