Bachinsky reads at first Blue Moon
Posted by Violet Nesdoly on April 19, 2011
A crowd of poetry enthusiasts gathered in the Clearbrook Library Monday, April 18th to launch the MSA Poets Potpourri Society’s 2011 Blue Moon Readings.
Ten open mic readers were followed by the evening’s highlight, featured reader Elizabeth Bachinsky. She read several new works as well as selections from her most recent book God of Missed Connections.
This book, she explained, was an attempt to connect with her Ukrainian roots. In her own words:
“In this book, I wanted to capture the sense of what it feels like to not know where you’re from, to be looking for connections, and to come up with ghosts. “God of Missed Connections” is just the way I’ve gone about sifting through my own cultural detritus. What makes it through time, what doesn’t? That’s what interests me.” — Bachinsky
We listened entranced as Bachinsky, an animated, engaging reader, read poems about the aftermath of Chernobyl and the Ukrainian famine genocide known as Holodomor interspersed with lighter fare like “Tips on Performing from My Mother.” The evening was a sort of farewell to the Fraser Valley for Ms. Bachinsky, who has just finished her term as Writer In Residence at the University of the Fraser Valley.
MSA PPS’s next event is an Open Mic reading, 6:30 p.m. Monday May 30th at the Clearbrook Library. This is a free event. All poets interested in reading their work before a poet-friendly audience are invited!
The next Blue Moon Reading is June 20th, 6:30 p.m. also at the Clearbrook Library, also free. The featured reader for that event will be announced shortly.
Fraser Valley Poets Society 
Stella Johnson said
A great reading, my guests were inspired to pick up their pens and write!
Thank you to all the organizers!
Stella Johnson