Poet Laureate Letter 2022

Mayor and Poet Laureate. Photo by Aaron Chatha

POET LAUREATE 2022

“Good Day, Greetings & Salutations. My name is Wakefield Brewster, Poet and Spoken Word Artist. I would like to impress upon you, some of who I am, whom I represent, what I have done and finally, what I may do for Calgary as its Poetic Ambassador, Poet Laureate.”

This was how I felt, 2 years ago. Today, I would love to clearly and proudly re-state that in the time since my last communication with the Committee – these words are still as resounding and truthful as ever, forged with a new, flourishing foundation into Mental Wellness and Well Being.

The last 16 years of my life have been in our great Cultural Capital of Calgary, and it is here that the true and endless possibilities of the Power of Poetry began to present themselves to me.

Storytelling, Communication, and Sharing, are all great contributors to Healing Through The Arts. Specifically, I support my fellow humans in their Healing Journeys, by engaging them with Poetry.

Several invitations to speak at Bell Let’s Talk, and National Hope Talks with my message, “Writing A Way To Wellness”, have unexpectedly placed me into several spaces of Healing and Wellness Circles.

Creating a constant presence in schools for Anti-Bullying has become repeated and rewarding work that I have been fortunate enough to facilitate in the CBE, CSSD and chartered/private schools.

Collaborations with the Calgary Drop-In Centre and The United Way of Calgary, speaking in such capacities as promoting Diversity, Representation, Inclusion, Equality and Equity have been extremely well-received.

Co-Creating with Rozsa Foundation and REAL Team will now result my facilitation of Reflective Poetry Practices, assisting participants to become more deeply connected to their work and lives.

The world is recently recovering from two of its most collectively uncertain years, in my opinion, in my existence, possibly ever. Who knows all of the global effects, and any conditions of pain and suffering existing anywhere in the world, in whatever capacity, will produce places where Healing and Wellness must be brought to.

Before fists are thrown, swords are drawn, guns are shot, or bombs are dropped – words are spoken. They are words that do incite anger, hatred, unrest, and are powerful enough to exist as entities in the world, alive and active, growing and living amongst us, inside us.

Oppositely, words may also incant a polar corporeal, they can curate and connect us with community, versify and value our vulnerabilities and hopefully, hold us in healing.

It is time to use intentional nurturing narratives to alter the current negating ones in our world, in our countries, cities, communities, workplaces, schools, circles, families, and individual lives.

As Calgary’s Poet Laureate, my intention is to present exactly that, a new and healing narrative through the vulnerable and exciting, visceral and engaging, vindicating and educating powers of Poetry.

We are in the age of information and sharing stories. Through sharing stories, we may all realize that in such disclosure, that always, we are none of us, alone.

I wish to further pursue becoming a Poet of Calgary’s People and help them heal, by welcoming them into wondrous Worlds of Words and Wellness, through the Power of Poetry.

Poetically Yours,

~w.