Moving to Delilah is a Phenomenon of Senses and Nostalgia

Catherine Owen's 16th collection of poetry is an ode to her home

Catherine Owen stands in front of her historic house named Delilah which is the inspiration for her new book of poetry. | Michael Belandiuk 

Catherine Owen's Moving to Delilah is her latest poetry collection, whose pages bleed with vulnerability, personal anecdotes, snapshots, and amassed moments of her journey to Edmonton. There is a strong feeling of tenancy you experience as a reader — you nestle into a habitat you do not own, but you are rewarded from the foundations made by its owner.

"To me, the focus when I was editing this book — and I edited it over and over and over — was the flow between the different sections," says Catherine Owen. Her newest collection of poetry shows that the life changes we experience are often synonymous and entangled with the changes of the seasons. As Owen illustrates throughout the collection, a person's growth is paramount. The learnings we keep and retell may be messy, but it all serves a purpose. 

Owen’s journey to Delilah began in 2018. In her search for constancy, Owen moved from Vancouver to Edmonton. She became a member of a bustling community of artists and creatives. She was living amongst the large trees off 118 Avenue and the sea of 90-some streets. Standing inside a 100-year-old home in the Alberta Avenue neighbourhood, Catherine Owen had an epiphany: "My name is Delilah. I heard the words. I can't explain that…So I didn't look at any other houses." 

In the section "The House," Owen gifts readers with a tantalizing overview of her relationship with Delilah: From day one to The Guest Who Didn't Leave (a beautiful tale about an Airbnb guest who has never left), with tidbits of history and lore peppered throughout. Through thoughtfully written prose, we visualize and understand Owen's fascination and love for Delilah. 

Owen had a particular item on her new home to-do list: building a book box. “That's important. My father built a book box in front of his house in Burnaby. Then he built mine," she remembers. Nestled between her front gate and a small tree, the book box is a temporary home for nomad books to settle. Owen credits her father for her love of reading: "As an avid reader, he came up and read to me every night as a kid. He would read me The Win in the Willows and The Hobbit… books like that." The box emphasizes the importance of personal stories and ancestral knowledge in shaping one's identity and sense of belonging. For Owen, the box is a connection to the community.

"The Garden," is a section dedicated to Owen's passion (but not her talent)  for gardening. It includes poems that make a reader salivate at the effortless imagery. In particular, the colourful delicacy of The Garden Diary goes down like a sweet glass of Brisk Iced Tea because…we are in Canada, after all. 

Community is a steady theme throughout the collection, particularly in "The Neighbourhood." Whether finding community in the neighbourhood watering hole like in Mona's Pub and 118th Avenue, or exercising your civic duties like in Mowing the Ghost House, readers are welcome into Owen's world of quirky observations. 

Book cover artwork by Stacey Walyuchow

The author beautifully splices her prose with a formal structure that keen readers may pick up on. From pantoum to villanelle, there is a format that will suit every poetry lover’s needs. After a Form by Galway Kinnell that also uses the word Winter in the 4^th Stanza is an astute and subtly humorous piece that drives the inclusion of structure home to her readers.

To the Thief Who Reads Poetry, notably and appropriately placed in the second half of the book, is a standout piece of work. Owen writes about her experience watching someone attempting to break into a home next to hers. When she goes to intervene, she notices the intruder is carrying a copy of Woman Reading in Bath by Anne Szumgalski. “That was such a weird moment. It was so strange, that kind of collision of feeling,” Owen says. “You know, I'm protecting my neighbour's property, but I also wanted to nurture that person and move them away from illegal activities." The beautiful notion that the artist exists in multiple lives and in various ways for other people, is humbling to read. 

Owen has spent the past two months touring and promoting Moving to Delilah in Alberta, Ontario, and her home province, British Columbia. She concluded her tour in a private event at Delilah on June 22 as a part of her home-based series, 94th Street Trobaritz. Owen reflects on her tour, "It went supremely well, with excellent audiences. The way to connect with readers and send your book into the world is definitely to get out on the road." 

In addition to writing poetry, Catherine Owen also edits manuscripts and mentor writers. You can follow Catherine Owen on social media @mslyricspoetryoutlaws.