The Moniques Go to the Maggies

Photographer Monique Dykstra and I are in the Magdalen Islands (commonly referred to by locals as "The Maggies"). We're here to work on Quebec Roots, an educational project offered by the Blue Metropolis Literary Foundation.

We're working with Kim Clark's students at Grosse-Ile School. They're going to be producing a chapter for this year's edition of a book called Quebec Roots: The Place Where I Live.

Monique is doing her photography workshop now -- so I have a little time to write this blog entry.

The group has decided to write about and photograph the sea and how it defines life here in Grosse-Ile. This morning, I did a little talk about writing and how stories are EVERYWHERE. I also gave the students a little writing exercise and I thought I'd share some of what they came up with.

Nicholas worked on piece about fishing. I loved his line: "I can hear the seagulls screaming for food." It's a simple sentence, but I think Nicholas's use of the word screaming really TAKES US THERE. (Those of you who know me will know that I'm often singing the words Take me there from the Staples Singers song.)

Courtney was describing the carved doors at the church in nearby Old Harry. She wrote: "You hear the soft prayers whisper from the rafters/ You talk to your lost ancestors -- the ones you miss." I told Courtney she is destined to be a writer!

And Lucas described people watching a shipwreck from shore, helpless, their faces "wet from tears and rain." Beautiful writing, don't you agree?

That's me looking over Lucas's shoulder in today's pic. 

Here's to the sea and to stories.... Thanks Kim for preparing your class so well. This is going to be a super chapter!