IN THE SPACE BETWEEN HOUSES
Author Statement
This piece started from a few loose notes I made while sitting in the side yard between my house and my neighbour’s. I liked the idea of using a contrapuntal to mirror the shape of the houses and allow them to be read separately or as a whole; the space between them served to represent where I sat. This was later filled with an oil pastel drawing I made while sitting in a similar spot. I used a base of orange, carving into it with my nails and new colours, to visualize how the warmth of this moment cut through, recontextualizing a usually cold environment.
ELEMENTARY WINTER SCENE THROUGH SMASHED GLASSES (A FUGUE)
Author Statement
I knew I wanted to create a poetic form inspired by music (as I was intrigued by the idea of how ‘poetic rounds’ could interact with each other) and landed on modifying the typical ‘fugue’ format. While fugue structure can be altered from piece to piece, just as this form can be, it centers around four core sections (subject, counter-subject, answer, and resolution) as well as two types of interludes/transitions (coda/codetta and episode); based on the idea of having ‘soprano, alto, bass’ parts, I divided the page into three columns (vertically instead of horizontally, as sheet music would be) that can be read alone or as a together. This concept lent itself well to this fractured exploration of childhood and trauma, also mirroring the physically distorted view caused by broken glasses.
Maxwell O’Toole (he/him) compulsively creates. A disabled and trans writer, he is particularly inspired by his activist work, using art to connect with himself, others, and our world. He has pieces with over a dozen publications, including UNESCO Chair, Chartium, ANMLY, Freefall Magazine, Vellichor Literary, and Poets.ca. Maxwell lives with his partner and their cats in St. Catharines, Ontario, traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples. For more information, visit @maxwellwriteswell on Instagram or maxwellwriteswell.ca.
IceFloe Press 