"Why? And Why Now?": On Poetry and Companionship

The following essay was originally delivered as a talk at the 2021 Fraser Valley Lit Fest. It was later published by the League of Canadian Poets . I am archiving it here, along with a number of my other essays and interviews which have yet to be included on this site. --- My mother is disappearing. Diagnosed with dementia six years ago, in recent months her confusion has redoubled, her memories…