Kathy Figueroa
Kathy Figueroa takes great delight in writing poems that have entertained newspaper readers and audiences, alike, for many years. Written in a clear, direct style that is easily understood by everyone, and frequently depicting aspects of rural and everyday life, her work has often been described as “people’s poetry.”
A resident of the northern part of Hastings County, Ontario, Canada, her frequently humorous poems have been published a combined total of over one hundred times in the two local, weekly newspapers, “Bancroft This Week” and “The Bancroft Times” (as of October 13, 2015).
Her work can also be found in a variety of different mediums, including regional magazines, numerous blogs and e-zines (many of which originate in other countries), dozens of anthologies, and her own four published books: “Paudash Poems” (July, 2012), “Flowertopia” (January, 2014), “The Cathedral of the Eternal Blue Sky” (March, 2014), and “The Ballad of the PoeTrain Poeteer: Winnipeg to Vancouver” (May, 2015). In 2012, she self-published ten small chapbooks – nine of poetry and one containing her locally staged short play, “Conflicted About The Wolf.” “A Realm of Rhyme of the Rural Kind” is an anthology of Bancroft area poetry and prose that she compiled, edited, and contributed to, which was published in late 2014.
Kathy’s adventures in poetry have led her to read her work to folks in communities across southern Ontario, including Bancroft, Belleville, Kingston, Marmora, Maynooth, Ottawa, Peterborough, Roblin Lake, and Toronto. Venturing further afield, she’s also participated in readings in Edmonton, New Westminster, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. In 2014, she created and staged “The Word Is Wild Literary Festival,” a two-day event that featured a wide variety of writers from the North Hastings area, as well as other regions of southern Ontario.
In addition to prolific versifying, Kathy Figueroa has contributed articles and photographs to a variety of Ontario publications for over a decade. These include the Bancroft newspapers, as well as the Belleville Intelligencer and the Haliburton Echo. Though not Native, she’s also contributed articles to the Mohawk Nation Drummer and the Anishinabek News (including the annual Pow-Wow Guide). On occasion, her poetry has been printed in magazines such as The Link, Country Roads, and The Country Connection Magazine.
In September, 2010, Kathy created and founded the “Poets’ Society of Hastings County North,” which has evolved into a monthly poetry, short story, and theatrical play group that celebrated its fifth anniversary by joining the Algonquin Arts Council as a “contributing member group.”
On another note: Born in the mountainous Kootenay region of southern British Columbia, Kathy Figueroa was raised on the West Coast, as well as in the interior of B.C. After residing and working in Toronto for many years, she was happy to move north, to a beautiful, scenic area near Bancroft, which is also known as “Cottage Country.” Along with writing and photography, gardening, hiking, and travelling are among her favourite activities.
Email: flowertopia.studio@gmail.com
