Winnipeg poet releases collection to inspire and motivate

WINNIPEG -

A Winnipeg poet has published a new collection of work aimed at lifting people’s spirits.

Laurie Fischer recently released his second collection of poems, titled ‘Musings on a Life Well Lived.’

He said he wrote these poems as the conditions of the pandemic were improving, noting that things have changed over the last month.

“Throughout the last year, we’ve really been looking to the future more,” he said in an interview on Tuesday.

“At the same time, I like to look back to our past a little bit, some of our childhood memories.”

Fischer published his first collection of poems called ‘Poetry of the Pandemic’ while navigating through the isolation of lockdowns.

“We were locked down and really people were panicked, depressed. I think I started writing to maintain my sanity more than anything, and found that it was helping people,” he said.

He said people reacted strongly to ‘Poetry of the Pandemic,’ so he continued writing, which is how his latest collection came about.

Fischer noted that his new poetry is more positive than his earlier work.

“It’s reflecting back to all of our lifetime, more nature. I love the changes of the seasons, especially here in Canada,” he said, noting he is very much inspired by nature and the transition of the seasons.

Fischer said that writing poetry has helped to keep his mind active after he was diagnosed with cancer three years ago.

“It’s very much mental and physical. I knew I had to keep my body active. I started writing,” he said.

“So, writing keeps my mind active and keeps me much more positive, and I think people have felt that out of the writing that I’ve done."

- With files from CTV's Joey Slattery.