Celebrated poet Christopher Dewdney (left) is Glendon's Writer on the Grounds, starting the year off with an unusual event – a landscape walking tour.
This event is a poetic/natural history reading-walking tour of the Glendon campus ecosystem on Saturday, Sept. 20, from noon to 3pm. The landscape reading concept is Dewdney’s invention, a look at a specific natural environment seen through the eyes of a poet and natural historian.
Right: Aerial map of the Glendon campus
Professor Ian Martin, Glendon Department of English, explained the plans for the event: "In this reading, Dewdney will guide participants through the grounds of the Glendon campus, visiting the valley of the West Don River, its forest paths bursting with life, its unique flora and fauna, including rare sequoia trees and deer, its multi-millennial geological past, its aboriginal presences, its historical and built environment, all of which contribute to the natural history of the Glendon ecosystem.
Left: Glendon's Bruce Bryden rose garden
"The walking tour itself will last about two hours – rain or shine. After the reading, the group is invited for a poetic brunch which [for registered participants] will be hosted and animated by Mr. Dewdney. Also, a limited number of copies of The Natural History [ECW Press, 2002] will be available for purchase and signing at the brunch."
Right: Dewdney's book, The Natural History
As the Glendon Writer on the Grounds in the first part of the academic year, Dewdney is making himself available Wednesday afternoons (Room C211A York Hall) to meet student writers and share his interests in culture, communication, natural history, language and poetry with the Glendon community.
In the second academic term, Dewdney will be teaching a fourth-year Advanced Creative Writing course on Thursdays from 11:30am-2:30pm and will have office hours at C226 York Hall. Appointments with him can be made via e-mail at cdewdney@yorku.ca.
Dewdney has been nominated three times for a Governor-General’s Award, and is the author of more than 13 volumes of poetry and philosophic essays. He is a frequent media and culture commentator.