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David C. Brydges
was a poet/pioneer, cultural acupuncturist, and community builder.
Whose visionary mission is to bring the world more poets, poetry,
and poetry adventures.
While living in the wilds of his imagination. David is a passionate
pollinator for poetry and eternal autodidact whose motto is "Doctora
Ignorantia."
His favourite poetry
quote is by a 17th century German poet named Friedrich Holderlin.
"Although we have to make a living we dwell poetically on this
earth."
Creator of Canada's
most historic community poetry park the Dr. Pollard Poetry Park.
Northern Ontario's largest annual poetry/arts festival. (www.springpulsepoetryfestival.com)
PoeARTry North a pioneering provincial painting /poetry competition
in Ontario.
Chief Creative Engineer for the PoeTrain adventure tours www.poetrain.com
Administrator of the oldest non-governmental national poetry contest
in Canada Dr. William Henry Drummond Poetry Contest.
An 11-year Poetry Pulse column in a bi-monthly local newspaper The
Voice.
Chief Energizing Officer and Owner of Brydge Builder Press.
Dave was awarded the distinction of Poet Emissary of The Ontario Poetry Society in November, 2021.
He was a passionate poet who was a guiding light and prominent figure.
His passing has left a huge gaping hole in the poetry community that no one else can ever fill.
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A Poet's Path
For Dave Brydges
I.B. Iskov
Dave was a man on a poetic mission.
He had the soul of a shaman.
Wanted to heal the world with poetry.
Dave traveled down dirt roads,
across noisy rails and over bumpy clouds
to spread the spoken word of peace.
With grace and grit, he scrawled
intimate heartbeats in a journal,
counted and re-counted tender breezes,
courageous crossroads, sudden
callings and limbless ghosts
on uprooted landscapes.
His eyes over-flowered in suspense.
He cruised homeless streets with no expectations.
A wandering poet, little happiness was glimpsed
on park benches, littered sidewalks
and in dark alleyways.
Dave did not have enough poems to read aloud.
With an extravagance of simplicity,
he wrote what he saw.
Dave has given us a large legacy of profound contributions
to be remembered and appreciated.
The most important gift he gave us all,
was the gift of himself.
This is the gift I will treasure the most.
Song for David
Kate Marshall Flaherty
Let's sing a song for David-
builder of bridges, linker of communities,
our roaming rambler, our taker of risks-
One of a kind, poet, train-man,
you are a planner of poetry park,
a typer on trains,
returner of the griffin golden Fork-
Bringer of poets to northern school places,
and memorable music to many spaces,
David, you dare to dream big-
dreams as deep and dedicated
as Drummond's own ghost.
The silenced silver school bell rings for you-
Resounding that you are Mr. Poet for every occasion-
purveyor of Cobalt's first Poet Laureate, you
wise miner of all things shining
mining the mind with imagination
to find shining silver- in poems, places and people.
Wordsmith and world traveler,
you are Pied Piper of poetry-
from Jarvis to Jasper, from Edmonton to Athabasca,
Mother Parker's tea train to the sunset stroll of poets,
your name says it all-bridges: creative and crucial,
spanning and supporting Cobalt and us all.
Of the Essence
For David Brydges
Brenda Gunn
". . . come into this world to do this . . .to be filled with light . . . to shine." Mary Oliver
ADHD? Bucket list? Just a rolling stone?
Everyone's got a story. But boy, oh, boy,
not usually as exuberant as this. Dave Brydges
was approachable; that person who, though
you've only met in pixilated Zoom head shot,
engulfs you in a full-on, wrap-around, Cobalt Ontario, Spring Pulse Poetry Festival,
Dr. William Henry Drumond Memorial Park and nation-wide poetry contest big bear hug
when you first meet in person. It takes you
pleasantly by surprise, though you guess, you
expected nothing less after what might have been,
in other hands, a three to five-minute congratulatory
call and follow-up email to say 'you won!' and your
certificate and chapbook are in the mail. Not Dave. True to form, we spoke three hours.
Even through phone lines, 3 thousand KM and 31 hours driving time away, Dave exuded
'come talk to me' about, of course, the healing power
of rhyme and verse, but just as probably poetry's defining
role in the existential meaning of the universe, this planet's
sorry state, man's inhumanity to man, or, as easily, his
current historical research into little known local poets
or his own family roots. Somehow, the fast-paced convoy came around to his plans
for another memorial garden, and a poets' support trip to Ukraine and without warning
you find yourself enthusing about signing up for the 2026
revival of Dave's cross-country Poet-Train! I longed to
bottle that barely contained kinetic energy; like an ever-
percolating molten magma bed; beneath that smoulder-
charged electro-static hair and brilliant, restless brain.
No peace, they say, no rest . . . for the . . . prolifically poetic? Just do it! Might have
been Dave's motto! Publish a chapbook? There's a way. Celebrate poetry, sea to sea,
from Fort MacMurray oil fields to the Canadian shield.
Just go! Never say no! Did he know? Was he under the gun,
aware that his earthly time was of the essence? Dave was
a quoter, an admirer, promoter of the work of others, sung
or unsung. I imagine his life lived in real-time reply to Mary
Oliver's poetic question: but with, "Tell me" replaced with, 'Show me'. . . "what is it
you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Show us, show us, he did!
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For You, David
Greg Turlock
A poet's poet
words of wisdom for all
David set the bar high
his memory inspires us
to carry the torch
pen that touches paper
will echo with our thoughts and prayers
for you, David
until we meet again.
Looking up asking why
Scott Alderson
A friend died today
we never met in person
only on Zoom poetry readings
over past five years
we were kindred spirits
both tackling issues
drawing attention to the heavy
my life has been enriched
having known him
moisture hits the keyboard
as I type this
because it is real
way I feel
that even if I
never met him in person
he made an impact
on my existence
and I thank him
I appreciate him
I will miss my friend,
when I pray tonight
I will ask why
Why him?
with so many bad ones
why take a brilliant shining man
there will be no answer
divine will defies explanation
who am I to demand reason
a friend died today
and a part of me followed.
Rest in peace, David
For David Brydges
Mansour Noorbakhsh
He knew the elixir of words
inspiring hope and expressing beauty.
He was a poet.
Knowing, life recreates itself
in poetry, like rain, ceaselessly,
in which a new manifestation of life
emerges each time it's read.
He knew understanding others
is the ultimate purpose of life.
And creating beauty
is the beginning of being human.
For David Bridges
Michelle Soon
met a man who made the world smile...
met a man
made me smile
always walked that extra mile
reached out to others
didn't scream or shout
his presence was felt
those blessed to be close
respectfully listened to all
his poetry was heartfelt
by those with a soul
lessons learned
shared experiences
David will be greatly missed
across our country
his poetry will be forever shared
as his words are timeless
like the man himself
forever remembered
his incredible poetry and haiku
in the hearts of poets
met a man who made the world smil...
I never met the man
Rebecca Clifford
but he emailed with a gentlemanly familiarity,
as if we were fast friends.
Such comfort
to have these messages land in my in-box.
I never met the man
but I knew I could trust him with my words,
with my thoughts. A man of letters, a man of calm,
a genial man of generosity beyond measure.
I never met the man
but I saw what he did for others, I saw what he did
for poetry, for the literary community,
what he did for his town.
I never met the man
I wish I had but I'll see him in my mind's eye,
always in blue,
cobalt blue.
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