poetry – Mark Holmgren

Reflecting on a Creative Life

Visit my music page. My musical life seems so long ago now. I guess because it is. In the early 1990s I won a song writing contest which allowed me to play a featured stage and two workshops at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. That honor led to other performances on CBC radio, on aContinue reading “Reflecting on a Creative Life”

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Let’s Take a Break from Doing Good

Preface Earlier this June I had the delightful experience of being a part of a workshop at Tamarack’s Deepening Community gathering in Edmonton. The workshop was with Al Etmanski and Vickie Cammack. Al called our session a “beauty jam” and both Al and Vicki wanted an “artist” to be a part of the jam. IContinue reading “Let’s Take a Break from Doing Good”

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Acceptance

We can’t do it when we are young. We know too little. We have not tasted enough truth. Eventually we can taste everything: the sweet, the bitter, everything in between. One day, Wisdom appears at our door. Small and unsure at first, it speaks nonetheless, each word finding courage from the last. One day weContinue reading “Acceptance”

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Pride

It’s hard to find. There are so many who do not want you to have any. They think it belongs to them. They think that if you have any, they will not have enough for themselves. Thankfully, there are those who want you to have it feel it breathe it be alive with it. WelcomeContinue reading “Pride”

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Make Things

Make things. Whether you have a purpose or not. Even if you do not understand what you have made. Keep making things. If you do not, you will have nothing.

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Wonder

At night each light tells a story: small rebellions in the darkness. We do not know what the stories mean or who offers them. They are strangers. Strangers we wonder about telling stories we wonder about. It does not matter if we find out who they are or the meaning of their lights. Wonder is whatContinue reading “Wonder”

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The Music of Collaboration

At the Cities Reducing Poverty: When Mayor’s Lead gathering that Tamarack’s Vibrant Communities hosted in Edmonton April 5 to 7, one of my many roles and privileges was to be an MC at a reception at City Hall for summit participants. At this event, the trio Asani performed their version of our national anthemContinue reading “The Music of Collaboration”

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Flight

Sometimes I am a creation of myself. I transform. I fly. I always thought that if I could fly, I would look down on all the earth has to offer. But now that I can, I just enjoy the flight.

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Masks

Wear your mask. Masks are necessary. They hide your identity so you can be free to be who you really are.

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Music

When I close my eyes I see music. Particles of light shining, floating in the umbra. I feel it ebb and flow I breathe is melody, its message. I feel it in my skin I feel it wrapping its warmth around my bones. And when I finally open my eyes, I am its composition.

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Circle Dance

I am not really here though I think I am. I could be living life over there (you know) where I cannot abide. But I’m not. It appears I think too much. Wherever I am, I am there and here and everywhere. So please, let me take my seat and sit this one out. IContinue reading “Circle Dance”