Prof’s poetry labour of love

Posted on 03. Dec, 2009 by Tim in A&E

MELANIE KERR
A&E REPORTER

Sandy Pool, a Humber English professor, will release her first book of poetry on Dec. 6.

The work, called Exploding into Night is being published by Guernica Editions as part of the First Poet’s Series, a full collection from poets 35-years-old and younger. Pool said she never considered publishing her work, but sent in the piece on a friend’s recommendation.

“Guernica Editions decided to publish it and that made me believe that it was actually good enough,” she said.

Pool teaches a writing skills course specifically for funeral services and nursing students as well as two levels of communications courses.

Pool said she started writing poetry in high school where  she submitted a piece to a writing competition through the University of Guelph and said she was lucky enough to win.

“That was my first published poem. It was a very embarrassing angst-teen poem and it was published in a small journal,” said Pool. She attended a winner’s ceremony where she was able to read with more established writers like Thomas King, author of Green Grass, Running Water.

Exploding into Night is a narrative poem written in different voices about a murder which took place in the Parkdale area of Toronto in 2005.

“The basic story is about a woman who was murdered by her husband. I think it was very strange for Torontonians and the story really inspired me to write the book,” said Pool.

The woman was an acquaintance of Pool’s and the news of the death shocked her.

Elana Wolff, Pool’s editor at Guernica Editions, said the book went through a lot of incarnations before getting to this point.

“Sandy submitted her first poems to me two and a half years ago. The final work of Exploding into Night is very different from the first submission.”

Wolff said the process of editing the book was a positive experience for her.

“I think very highly of Sandy’s talent and have had a very gratifying though challenging experience in working with her on this book.”

Madeline McCrie, staff member at the Writing Centre at Humber’s North campus and president of the book club, said sometimes poetry can be difficult for readers because most people find it inaccessible.

“They don’t really know how to talk about it,” she said.

McCrie said the Writing Centre would be open to showcasing books by Humber faculty in their book club.  She said having an author that students know might motivate more people to come to the book club.
“They would already know the author, so they would maybe feel more comfortable talking with them about writing and the writing process,” she said.