Poetry Day marked at Council

Yorkton Council marked UNESCO World Poetry Day at its most recent meeting.

Through the League of Canadian Poets municipalities were asked to recognize the day and National Poetry Month on April by spotlighting local poets.

“Participating in the Poetry City challenge is a way to recognize the valuable contribution poets and writers make to the cultural life in your community and to celebrate the leadership of so many of Canada’s council members that promote the arts and literacy through their political platforms,” detailed the letter of request circulated at the meeting.

Cities from Whitehorse to Dawson City to Victoria to St. Johns have been key supporters and participants in this annual challenge, encouraging their citizens, poets, artists, libraries and bookstores to celebrate poetry this spring, noted the letter.

In Yorkton’s case local writer Crystal Dyste was given the opportunity to give a reading at the meeting.

Dyste is a published author, having recently self-published the first two books in her mental health series entitled, Have You Met My Dragon?; with book one addressing anxiety and book two looking at depression. She also had her poem, Memories, published in Ballads of Our Lives, by The International Library of Poetry, in 2000.

Dyste has been writing since she was in elementary school and has a private collection of various poems, short stories, and novels in progress. She has only recently begun to pursue her passion for writing as a career and has just started Dyste Writing and Publishing.

The poem she read; ‘Finding my Oasis’ follows;

The morning silence deafens
It sings strait into my soul
The gentle lap of water
A bird burst forth in song
A tender wind caresses
Taking turns with sunbeam touch
Surrounded by this vastness
My soul receives so much
I need the love of others
And to know that I belong
But my heart craves empty spaces
That’s where I once again am strong
I’m finding my oasis
A little more each day
To you it might look foolish
But my soul has found its way
My refuge often differs
From others’ in my life
To you it may seem selfish
But my heart cries “this is right”
So, before you try and change me
Or look at me with wrath
Remember we’re all walking
Each on our own path.