Joanne Arnott : Three quotes and a love poem

 

 

John Barlow 

The wise cannot impose wisdom on the world. At best, they can importune.
5 October 2024

 

John Barlow

Think it through by writing about it.
27 September 2024

 

John Barlow

A complex version of peace,
doves, sparrows, starling,
sharing a tree
19 September 2024

 

 

the strangest thing about his death
is not having his commentary
to bring us all inside the experience

heart or head or dream quake
nuance of the unfolding and everything
it reminded him of

john barlow’s riffs came early, circa 1980
the day i came home from abortion
he found me on my porch

i discovered beyond poetry
his empathy
something relaxed in me

ten years and thousands of miles later
he approached me in a bookstore
tilting reality

another decade or so and he found me again
by carefully reading a chain of protest letters
is this you?

if i had to summarize his role in my life
in a simple phrase, it must be
bringing me out of isolation

john barlow vanquished
my isolation
repeatedly

 

 

 

Joanne Arnott: Writer, editor, arts activist, originally from Manitoba, at home on the west coast. Six poetry books and four chapbooks, as author, among other titles, including pandemic friendship (above/ground press). I met John Barlow at U of Windsor around 1980, we formed part of The Ugly House writers. Years later I was drawn into Barlow’s online groups, riverspine, whalesnail, introducing me to many poets and many forms of poetic play. He has remained an integral element of life, a loved one.

Photo of the Ugly House Poets: John Liddle, Joanne Arnott, Lorenzo Buj + John Barlow