"Women in Shakespeare," a list poem by Meg Freer

 

Women in Shakespeare …

Show every human emotion, sometimes in inhumane ways.

Act strong and bossy, proud, empathetic, impatient and impulsive.

Dislike it when others make them an object of fun or take advantage of them.

Do not hesitate to insult or criticize their male counterparts.

Frequently condemn men as inconstant deceivers incapable of change.

Believe that disrespectful or downright bad behaviour looks good on no person.

Easily become leads in operas and musicals, where females often dominate the stage.

Resist being seen by others as weak, but realize we’re all only human.

Forgive the temptation to blame themselves when things don’t work out.

Try to live with everyone’s imperfections and make the best of it.

***

Meg Freer grew up in Montana and now lives in Ontario. She is a musician and editor, a member of The Ontario Poetry Society and League of Canadian Poets, Poetry Co-editor for The Sunlight Press and Contributing Editor for Traces Journal. She co-hosts a monthly series featuring poetry performed simultaneously with live improvised music.

Her prose, photos, and poems have been published in many journals​ and in ​four chapbooks. During 2024-25, she served as Poet-in-Residence for the McDonald Astroparticle Physics Institute at Queen’s University.

Read more short pieces about reading and writing here (and scroll down). Read other short stories, essays, and reviews by your fellow writers here (and scroll down).

See Brian Henry’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

You're invited to "Writing Personal Stories & Other Nonfiction"

Writing Personal Stories & Other Nonfiction

Offered online and in-person

Online: Tuesday afternoons, 1 – 3 p.m.
October 7 – December 2 (or to Dec 9 if the class fills up. No class Oct 21.)

In-person: Thursday evenings, 7 – 9 p.m.
October 9 – November 27 (or to Dec 4 if the class fills up). No class Oct 23.
Burlington Anglican Lutheran Church, 3455 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, Ontario (Map here)

If you want to write any kind of true story, this course is for you. Personal stories will be front and centre – we’ll look at memoirs, travel writing, personal essays, family history – but we’ll also look at writing feature articles, creative nonfiction and other more informational writing. Plus, of course, we’ll work on creativity and writing technique and have fun doing it. 

Whether you want to write a book or just get your thoughts down on paper, this weekly course will get you going. We'll reveal the tricks and conventions of telling true stories, and we’ll show you how to use the techniques of the novel to recount actual events. Weekly writing exercises and friendly feedback from the instructor will help you move forward on this writing adventure. Whether you want to write for your family and friends or for a wider public, don't miss this course.

For the Tuesday afternoon online course, our guest speaker will be Tanya Bellehumeur-Allatt, author of the critically acclaimed memoir Peacekeeper’s Daughter. 

Tanya holds an MA in English Literature from McGill University and an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC. These days, she lives in Quebec’s Eastern Townships with her husband and four children. She was born in Germany to French-Canadian parents and grew up on various army bases across Canada, from Quebec’s North Shore to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

When she was twelve, her family moved to Tiberius, Israel, where her father served as a United Nations peacekeeper on the Golan Heights. When war broke out with Lebanon, Tanya and her family moved to Beirut, where they lived for seven months, at the height of the Lebanese civil war.

Tanya’s journal from 1982-1983 became the seeds of her memoir, Peacekeeper’s Daughter.

Peacekeeper’s Daughter is both a coming-of-age story and an exploration of family dynamics, the shattering effects of violence and war, and the power of memory itself to reconcile us to our past selves, to the extraordinary places we have been and sights we have seen.

Tanya has also published two volumes of poetry with Shoreline Press: Chaos Theories of Goodness  (here) and, coming in September, The Hospitality of Trees, (available for pre-order here). Her collection of short memoir pieces, Carrying War, will be published by Dundurn Press in May 2026.

Tanya’s also published numerous poems and stories and has been nominated for a number of awards (see here). Currently, she’s working on some books for children and a novel for adults about American expats in Beirut called Birdsong Hollow.

You can read an excerpt from Peacekeeper’s Daughter here, It’s available through the publisher, Thistledown Press here or order it through your local bookstore – see here.

Our guest speaker for the Thursday afternoon in-person course in Burlington to be announced.

Instructor Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada's most popular blog for writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Saskatoon to Toronto to Saint John. But his proudest boast is that he’s has helped many of his students get published.  

Read reviews and other pieces inspired by Brian's retreats, courses and workshops here (and scroll down). 

Fee: $257.52 plus 13% hst = $291

To reserve your spot, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

Join us for our Spring Writers’ Retreat at Elm Hurst Inn

Spring Writers’ Retreat

At the Elm Hurst Inn & Spa

Friday, April 24 – Monday, April 27, 2026
Register ASAP to be sure of a spot!
The Elm Hurst Inn & Spa
415 Harris Street, Ingersoll, Ontario. (1½–2 hours west of Toronto / 1 hour west of Hamilton. Map here)

Give yourself four days of writing time – a long weekend of instruction, inspiration and creativity. Award yourself with time away from distractions, with no dishes to do, delicious food at every meal, and with the leisure you need to sit with your feet up and write.

The retreat will feature both instruction and guided writing exercises, plus one-on-one critiquing and coaching from Brian.  You’ll also have lots of time to relax, rejuvenate, and reconnect with your creativity. All writing levels welcome. Whether you’re just beginning or have a novel in progress, please join us. 

The setting: Nestled on 30 acres of beautiful rolling countryside, the Elm Hurst mansion was built in 1872 as the personal residence of James Harris and family. A fine example of the Gothic Revival style, it remained a family home for more than a century.

The last Harris heir sold the property in the mid-1970s, and the house was transformed into a popular dining establishment that opened in 1979. An addition was added to the rear of the original structure five years later, with the 49-room Elm Hurst Inn & Spa being built in 1988.

The original mansion and its beautiful carriage house (often used for weddings) remain integral parts of the Inn.

James Harris made his fortune partly from the apple orchard planted on the grounds but mostly from the cheese business. He erected the James Harris Cheese Factory in 1865. To establish the area as the cheese capital of Ontario, he and other local cheese makers created a giant, 7,300-pound cheese ball. The Mammoth Cheese toured exhibitions in Toronto, Chicago, New York, Paris, and London (Yes, the cities in France and England, not the Ontario versions).

Ingersoll still boasts a cheese museum, which is a two-minute drive or twenty-minute walk from the Inn (here).

James McIntyre, a local poet, wrote an ode to the big cheese ball. McIntyre possessed a talent for writing poetry so truly awful that experts in the field of Good Bad Verse consider him one of the greats and cite his “Ode on the Mammoth Cheese” as a world-class example poetry so bad that it exhibits a certain genius. (For more on Good Bad Verse, see here and here.)  

Much later, the Town of Ingersoll created an annual poetry contest in McIntyre’s honor, though the object was to write good poetry, not bad. For many years Brian Henry had the honor of judging the children’s division of the contest.

Rates for the retreat include accommodation and meals. Each room has a king bed or two queens, an en-suite four-piece bathroom, and a desk for writing.

All meals are provided, from dinner on Friday through to lunch on Monday, including the Elm Hurst’s wonderful Sunday brunch. And of course, we’ll also have coffee service for our meetings. Alcoholic beverages are extra, as are Spa treatments – but you might want to check those out (see here).

All activities included. When you’re not writing, or for spouses who accompany you, the inn has an indoor sauna and steam room and an exercise room. The rural Oxford County setting offers idyllic opportunities for biking and hiking, with numerous trails in the area (here). The Inn itself has beautiful grounds – it’s a great place to get away and relax.

Check-in on Friday is 3 p.m. Our first writing get-together will be at 5 p.m. On Monday, we'll have our last writing get-together at 9:30 a.m. Check out is at 11 a.m. followed by lunch an our final get-together.

Instructor Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada's most popular blog for writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Saskatoon, to Toronto, to Saint John. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get their first book published and launch their careers as authors.

Read pieces related to Brian’s previous writing retreats, workshops, and classes here.

Fee, including both the writing retreat and accommodation, meals, coffee & snack service, tips, and all inn amenities, for all three nights: $1,699.12 plus 13% hst. (No change from last year!)

Not included: alcoholic drinks, spa services, or other extras.

Bring a (non-participating) significant other along for the weekend to share your room for an additional $548.67 plus hst for the three nights (includes accommodation, meals and all amenities, but not the writing part of the retreat).

Book early – space is limited! And this retreat may fill up quickly.

For more information or to register, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Note: Bookings for accommodations for this retreat must be done through Brian (unlike our retreats in Algonquin, where you book your accommodations through the resort).

Should I bring my work in progress?

Yes! If you have an on-going writing project, bring it with you. Bring more than you expect to get to; you'll have lots of time for writing. Besides, you may want to switch projects or share a project that’s just started or one that’s all done, except for reading it to a small, appreciative audience. If you’re not currently working on anything, don’t worry, we’ll get you writing.

Should I bring my laptop?

Yes! Unless you only work on paper. Or bring both – your laptop and your writing pad. No sense being short of essential supplies.

Who can attend the retreat?

Everyone interested in developing their writing skills is welcome to attend, whether you're an aspiring writer or an accomplished author or simply enjoy writing as a hobby. There is no requirement for you to have been previously published or even to have an intention to publish.

I'm a poet / playwright / other writer. Is this retreat for me?

The retreat is open to anyone who enjoys writing. Instruction will focus on narrative writing; i.e., stories, whether fiction or memoir. But if you’re an essayist or poet or whatever, you’re entirely welcome.

Can you cater to specific dietary requirements?

Yes. But you need to let me know ASAP, so I can let the staff know about your needs.

I want to stay longer or arrive early. Is that possible?

If you want to arrive early or stay longer, that’s fine. You’ll book the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night with Brian, and arrange any additional nights with the inn; just make sure they know you’re with Brian Henry’s writing group.

Is there cell phone reception and WIFI?

Alas, yes.

Can I use the spa at the inn or play a round of golf in the area?

Yes, you can certainly book a spa treatment (here) though that’s extra, and you book that directly with the inn (not through Brian). As for golf, yes there’s a nearby course (see here).

Can I bring my spouse (or partner or friend)?

If you want to share your room with a partner, they’re very welcome. Just let them know you’ll be spending most of your time writing, (though you will have some free time every day).

For more information or to register, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca 

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

“Growing younger for $112/month” by Brian Henry

How did it happen? Somehow, from one day to the next, I’d suddenly become old. I’d reached the inevitable tipping point I’d known was in my future much sooner than I’d expected, and I hadn’t just reached it; I’d fallen over the edge and slid halfway down the slope on the other side. 

I’d had nagging issues: moderate bone loss, mild anemia, and occasional depression, but while depression wasn’t a welcome guest, it didn’t hang around.

I did the healthy stuff: ate well, took a brisk daily walk, and I climbed walls – literally, at a climbing gym.

True, I couldn’t keep climbing forever. A day lay in wait when the frailty of age would outpace how quickly I could improve my skill. But before hitting that tipping point, I hoped to level up from climbs rated 5.11 (hard intermediate) to climbs rated 5.12 (advanced).

Then about a year ago, arthritis struck the middle finger of my left hand. Pain obliged me to climb basically one-handed, able to use my left hand to balance myself, but not to clutch a hold, not to pull myself up or over or close into the wall.

I felt old.

A general fatigue that had been creeping up suddenly overtook me in a rush. The hours in a day in which I could act with my normal vigour shrank, and outside that shrinking circle, I was exhausted. Listless. And for no reason, I’d get bouts of heart-clutching anxiety.

Through the winter, my mood matched the gloomy weather. I experienced bouts of disassociation, with me on one side of a grey curtain, everyone else on the other side; me able to act normal, but feeling cut off.

Maybe I should see someone about this, I thought. Fortunately, as it turned out, that seemed like too much effort.

Eventually, I told my wife I had to cut back on work. “Not to worry,” I added. “I have a plan.”

I’d keep doing the work I love most – the creative writing classes I teach and the manuscripts I critique – but I’d let my Blogspot and Substack postings get spotty, I’d take an extra week off between the winter and spring sessions, and I’d trudge forward one season at a time.

A long-awaited appointment with a rheumatologist brought a medical miracle – an injection into my knuckle, and I could climb again without lightning bolts of pain.

This didn’t cheer me up, not as much as I told myself it ought to. My finger was never going to be 100%, arthritis could cripple me at any time, and I’d never get back to where I’d been as a climber after all those lost months.

I still felt I was on a long slide toward … I didn’t know what. Maybe to not being able to get out of bed in the morning.

Then miracle number 2. I heard a radio program about low testosterone. Loss of libido is the obvious symptom, but for men, that’s also the best-known symptom of just getting older. However, I learned low testosterone also causes fatigue. Hmm.

I consulted Dr. Google. Other symptoms include bone loss, anemia, depression, and anxiety. Check, check, check, and check. My family doctor arranged a blood test, which confirmed my diagnosis. 

A testosterone prescription began working within days. My energy level climbed. My depression lifted. Looking back, I realize I hadn’t known how depressed I was. I’d forgotten what normal felt like. 

My libido also rose from the grave. And I’m hungry – that was a surprise! But while I’m eating more, I’m not gaining weight. Apparently, my metabolism has kicked up a notch.

How’s the anemia and bone loss doing? Well, I’ll have to wait and see – at least three months for the anemia and at least six months for the bone density.

It’s my good fortune I was too listless to see a specialist about the depression. A psychiatrist friend tells me testosterone is something family doctors prescribe, not something in her black bag.

A psychiatrist might have prescribed an anti-depressant, which might have worked – but only for the depression, though on the plus side, the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODP), which pays for prescriptions for those of us over 65, would have covered the cost.

For an effective prescription, for testosterone, I need to pay out of pocket.

If you have low testosterone as a result of HIV, hypothalamic, pituitary, or testicular disease, ODP will cover it, but if you’re just continually exhausted, depressed, and missing your sex drive, tough.

Men, it seems, are expected to grow grumpy with age.

But if you get really down, don’t worry. Ontario will put you out of your misery for free; OHIP fully covers Medical Assistance in Dying.

I’m fortunate, though; I can afford $112.03 per month for a good quality of life.

As for the climbing, I’m back to routes rated 5.11, and I’m eyeing 5.12’s. I may actually be stronger than before. Testosterone does grow muscle mass. But growing stronger and leaner develops over months, not weeks. For now, I’m climbing better – and doing everything better – because I’ve exited a fog of fatigue and depression.

Physical decline still lies in my future, as it does for all of us. But for now, I’m back to my usual self and, week by week, growing physically younger.

***

Brian Henry is an editor, writer, and creative writing instructor living in Toronto. He publishes the Quick Brown Fox blog and Substack. He’d prefer not to grow old before his time.

P.S. Many thanks to Denisha for her editorial eye on this piece.

See Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

Reflections & Reveries a book of poetry by Gail M. Murray, reviewed by Liz Torlée

Reflections & Reveries by Gail M. Murray

Published in 2024 by Blue Haven Press, 115 pages. Available here.

In Reflections and Reveries, Gail Murray takes us on a magical mystery tour, through the lush landscapes of the Mediterranean to the “clang and clutter” of New York, from sunny memories of childhood, through roller coasters of love, to musings on the approach of death.

Murray writes in free verse style, with none of the traditional meter, rhyme or stanza formatting. Instead, the words flow unfettered by convention, sometimes grouped into three or four lines, but more often filling whatever space they need: I search out beauty/ crafted with a gentle heart/ Sometimes the poetry chooses me (“Inspiration”).

The poems rooted in the love of nature are classically beautiful. They bring out the author’s deep respect for the natural world, and engage all our senses: Here in the clouds, the air clean/ Layers of green bathe my winter weary spirit (“Rainforest”).

Whether telling us of the orange groves of Grenada, or the “thunderous explosions” of Costa Rica’s Arenal volcano, Murray taps into the emotional power of Mother Nature and pulls us close to share her secrets.

Sometimes, the author takes us closer to travel writing or descriptive prose style — hiccups in the otherwise seductive read. The poems “Genoa” (Today the highway obstructs our view/ Guidebooks don’t tell you that), and “Packing” with its practical advice, are examples of this. But we are soon brought once more under the spell of emotional contemplation.

Her writing is deceptively simple, grouping common thoughts and feelings in unusual ways, bringing new depth of feeling, new light on old subjects: I can’t move on till/ He moves out /out of my mind/ out of my reveries/ off my phone line (“Out There”).

Gail M. Murray

 In “Twilight in Barbados,” a particular favourite of mine, the author paints a simple but captivating scene, conjuring sight, smell and sound so clearly into twelve short lines, ending with: guests in their rooms/ shower away salt and suntan lotion/ I sit at peace/as the resort comes to life again.

Murray covers a broad canvas with this work, including recollections of long-ago family gatherings, men gone to war, tributes to long-deceased authors and feline companions, as well as the challenge of inherited memorabilia that inspire reverence and despair: What’s to become of these treasures? Oh well, at least I’ve used the good dishes. (“It’s Time”).  

But it is the poems about love and its loss that resonate most profoundly. Some zero in on the delicious anticipation at the beginning of a new relationship:

the sweetness and excitement of/ yet to be/ beckons (“Response”)

When he departs/ A part of me goes out the door/ with him. (“My Split Apart”)

Many are suffused with regret, and reveal a deeply honest vulnerability, a harrowing sense of betrayal:

From the admission of your affair/ you long for it, too/ just not with me (“Remember How”).

What is he telling me? “…had an encounter … she can arouse me.” Traded in like a used car. (Blindsided)

If you meet a year from now/ How will you feel?/ Will you feel at all? (“Orchid Petals”)

Particularly poignant is “Living on Hold,” which touches on life during the pandemic, and echoing feelings that so many endured during this time: She lives on hold, growing older by the minute/ running out of time to love again.

No matter what the theme, lovers of poetry will find themselves happily lost in these one hundred and eleven reveries and reflections, losing track of time as they explore and succumb to the embrace of this highly creative new work.

Reflections & Reveries is available here.

Liz Torlée has had two novels published: The Way Things Fall (here) and In Love With The Night (here), both wih Blue Denim Press. She’s currently at work on the third in the trilogy. Her short story, Flight, was published by Chicken House Press in April 2024 in the anthology, Will There Be A Sunset? 

Liz lived and worked in England and Germany before emigrating to Canada. When she is not writing, she and her husband are usually travelling to faraway lands. 

Note: Quick Brown Fox welcomes your reviews and your pieces about reading and writing, the writing life, and other literary-themed pieces. See other book reviews here (and scroll down) and pieces about writing here (and scroll down).

See Brian Henry’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

Kudos to Karina, Jayne, and Kate!

Note: If you’ve had a story (or a book!) published, if you’ve won or placed in a writing contest, if you’ve gotten yourself an agent, or if you have any other news, send me an email so I can share your success. As writers, we’re all in this together, and your good news gives us all a boost. 

Also, be sure to let know if you're looking for a writers' group or beta readers; a notice in Quick Brown Fox, will help you find them. 

Email me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

 

Dear Brian, 

I’m pleased to announce that a short story I workshopped in one of your Intensive Writing classes has been published in this summer’s edition of Prairie Fire.

Thank you so much for encouraging me to find a home for it.

With gratitude, 

Kate Anderson-Bernier

See the current issue of Prairie Fire here.

For information about upcoming Intensive classes see here. For information about the upcoming in-person Intensive class in Burlington – yes, it’s still going strong – see here.

 

Hi, Brian.  

Just wanted to let you know that a flash fiction piece I work-shopped with you in our Wednesday Intensive Writing called “Life of Trees” was published in 101 Words Journal on June 21st!

Thanks to you and my small group for helping me get the piece into shape for submission. I enjoyed the challenge of cutting and carving a story into exactly 101 words. No filler or unnecessary words are allowed, so it makes for some interesting editing choices! 

Best wishes

Jayne Evans

Read Jayne’s 101-word story, “Life of Trees” here.

For information on submitting to 101 Words and a few other great literary journals, see here.

 

Hi, Brian.  

 Thank for you for introducing me to Olga Filina (of 5 Otter Literary Agency). I have some news – she's now representing me: https://fiveotterliterary.com/karina-kaushal/

 Thank you, thank you!

Karina Kaushal

For information about submitting to Olga at 5 Otter Literary, see here.

For information about our upcoming “How to Get Published” workshop, where you’ll have a chance to meet a literary agent, see here.

And see all my upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day  retreats here. ~Brian

See where else your fellow writers are getting short pieces published here (and scroll down).

And see new books by your fellow writers here (and scroll down).