Category: Events

Remarks and a Limerick at the 25th Anniversary Poetry Event by Louise Waldie

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Louise Waldie
portrait by Nancy Wardle, 2023

Remarks at the 25th Anniversary Poetry Event

Good evening.

It’s been about 19 years since I arrived in Andrew’s life.

Over that time I’ve watched while he quietly and without a lot of fanfare, acted on his passion for all things Niagara. A few of the many examples to which I saw him dedicate countless hours and energy:

…. His professional life which included being the Local History guru at the Niagara Falls Public Library where he vastly expanded the online collection of text and images important in the life of Niagara Falls, rescuing a number of collections from local photographers and the Niagara Falls Review.

…. Documenting in photos a year in the life of Niagara Falls, with photos taken every morning from the same spot on the Rainbow Bridge.  Even on those days he wasn’t working first thing in the morning…weekends, Mondays, Tuesdays, holidays…he’d drive from Fort Erie to Niagara Falls around 8:30 in the morning, pay the bridge’s pedestrian toll, stand on the bridge to take a photo even if it was so foggy you couldn’t see the Falls, then go through customs to get back into Canada.  He combined those photos with appropriate poems about the Falls, and 10 years ago published them in a book entitled Niagara Mornings.

….And his most passionate and long-lasting project, searching out, collecting, and recording all the poetry about Niagara Falls or by Niagara area poets on both sides of the border which we are celebrating today. Andrew’s talked about the many aspects of his journey with the Poetry Project, but my view is from behind-the-scenes…the long hours he spent poring over books, chasing copyrights, contacting poets, answering questions from interested readers and so much more.

Thanks you Andrew. for your passion and your dedication to contributing to the common good.

Congratulations on this celebration of 25 years of your enthusiasm and commitment.

Now to finish…

There was a young man from Niagara
Discovered just one rhyme – Viagra
How often, dear sir,
Has this one word occurred
And forced you to post crazy word slaw

Source: Louise Waldie, 2026

Louise Waldie is the retired head of the IT project management office of a major national insurance company, and wife of Andrew Porteus. She has been active for many years on the executive of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Social Club, and as a volunteer personal shopper for people in Northern Canada who do not have access to retail outlets. In  their multigenerational complex blended family , Louise and Andrew have 5 children and 11 grandchildren with assorted spouses, and a great-grandchild.

On Preservation by Kimiko Hahn

Listen to Kimiko Hahn perform On Preservation

 

Four hundred million years ago, a shallow sea
languished across the northern continent
and pressured layers of mud, silt, and marine shells
into varying layers of varying resistance until
the shale entertained a miles-thick ice sheet
that scoured the land into great basins. Meltwater
and glacial debris were ushered over the face.
Undercutting and collapsing yielded the gorge,
the falls, the whirlpools. Then man harnessed the flow,
and the inevitable retreat slowed thus preserving
a home for honeymoon and poetry.
                                                                     Not preserved
is the origin of the name Niagara–possibly adopted
from the Iroquois, Huron or Seneca languages
of which, today, only a few people can still speak.

Source: Kimiko Hahn, 2026kimiko

Kimiko Hahn, New York State Poet Laureate, wrote and performed this poem for the Niagara Falls Poetry Project’s 25th Anniversary, where it was featured at the April 9, 2026 event launching the Poetry Contest. Click here for information about the contest and the event.

About Kimiko Hahn

Maud Willard and Her Niagara Falls Stunt, 1901 by Kimiko Hahn

Listen to Kimiko Hahn performing “Maud Willard and Her Niagara Falls Stunt, 1901”

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Maud Willard With Barrel

The barrel with Maud and her dog
shoots into the rapids’ familiar tossing
then to a swirling of strange currents.

Into the whirlpool, they sink from sight,
sucked into its merciless depths.
The barrel with Maud and her dog

then springs from the maelstrom, 
courses far from tourists on shore
in the swirling of strange currents.

Now dark–a search light into the gorge
illuminates the thrashing waves and
the barrel with Maud and her dog.

Five hours–the woman’s been imprisoned
in the rolling, revolving waters
till from that strange swirl of currents

the men catch the cask though only the pet
—nose seen in an air hole—leaps out.
The Tale of Daredevil Maud and Her Dog
is still strangely swirling. And current.


Source: Kimiko Hahn, 2026

Kimiko Hahn, New York State Poet Laureate, wrote and performed this poem for the Niagara Falls Poetry Project’s 25th Anniversary, where it was featured at the April 9, 2026 event launching the Poetry Contest. Click here for information about the contest and the event.

About Kimiko Hahn

Niagara Falls Arts & Culture Wall of Fame Nominations Open

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The City of Niagara Falls (Ontario) Arts & Culture Wall of Fame nominations are open until May 31.

Nominees must meet certain criteria, including:

  1. Outstanding achievement in their artistic or cultural field.
  2. A measurable impact on the Niagara Falls community must be illustrated municipally, provincially, nationally, or internationally.
  3. A person must have resided in Niagara Falls and/or have Niagara Falls as the main venue for their art for an extensive period of time.

Click here to go to the city’s nomination page

Youth & Media Outreach from Niagara Cyber Lions

Just got this from the Niagara Cyber Lions:
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I am sending this in hopes we can find volunteers to help, the Niagara Cyber Lions Club with our “Youth and Media Outreach”. Our NEW streaming platform and station, Northern Tributes Radio.ca is an integral part of this outreach. With Byota TV, a community partner for the program, help us provide an educational arts and media service project which promotes the the people, culture, and community that is Canadiana.

We are looking for authors, poets and their supporters so that we can better promote Canadian Literary Arts. We have a show entitled ” NTRs Poets Corner” just starting. We will also be offering readings of short stories for our listeners with sight issues. Vision as you may know is Lions “Pillar of Service”.

If you would spread the word, and/or offer information and suggestions on how we may best achieve our goals, please reach out to us through the contact info below. Please pass the following information to those interested should you choose to.

northerntributesradio.ca@gmail.com
Atttn: Mark Anthony King, (295 Studios) General Manager of NTR.CA

 
Or call Mark at 289 931 2663.
Lion Mark Anthony King
Youth and Media Outreach