43 | Brian Campbell, Sherine Elbanhawy, Mark Foss, Jan Jorgensen, Ethel Meilleur, Claire Sherwood, Blossom Thom | What’s in a Name?

WHAT’S IN A NAME? VALLUM CHAPBOOK SERIES NO. 43 BRIAN CAMPBELL, SHERINE ELBANHAWY, MARK FOSS, JAN JORGENSEN, ETHEL MEILLEUR, CLAIRE SHERWOOD, BLOSSOM THOM

The poems within this chapbook found their genesis in two separate sessions of a four week workshop called “What’s in a Name?” held during the Covid lockdown.

Our guide was Blossom Thom—brilliant, articulate, witty, proudly Black, an advocate of racial equity, and a champion of the arts—especially literary and visual. She introduced us to poets who themselves had invoked “names” with literary weight, sharing poetry that would spark our own work. Blossom was an incomparable teacher, stimulating and encouraging, joining us in the creative endeavour.

Reminiscing about the quality of the poetry we’d heard during the workshop, Blossom and I discussed the possibility of a chapbook and she invited the participants to submit their poems. But life’s interruption came and went. After Blossom’s death it became utmost important to publish this collection as a tribute to her. We are incredibly grateful to Eleni Zisimatos, Kateryna Kobylianska, and Vallym for co-creating and publishing this chapbook.

Above all, Blossom was kind and generous. In our wide-ranging marathon phone conversations, I had learned how deeply she loved her two nieces. I saw how much pleasure it brought her to buy them books. With this in mind, our chapbook is dedicated to Olivia and Lio, in loving memory of their aunt.”

— Jan Jorgensen

About the Authors:

Brian Campbell is the author of several poetry collections including Shimmer Report (Ekstasis Editions, 2015) and Passenger Flight (Signature Editions, 2009). He co-hosts the lawn chair soirée, a reading series in Montréal. A poet, photographer, and singer-songwriter, Brian has produced several publications and recordings that combine these talents. His latest book of poetry and photography is Remnants of Autumn, and his latest full-length album is Let’s Talk.  For more on Brian’s work, visit www.briancampbell.ca.

Sherine Elbanhawy is a writer, editor, and translator based in Montreal, Tiohtià:ke on the unceded Indigenous lands of the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation. Her focus is on Arab feminist literature and collective storytelling. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and an MA in Islamic Studies from McGill University, where her thesis, “A Community Lifeline,” explored Arab-Canadian feminist anthologies as spaces of knowledge production and community building. She is the founding editor of Rowayat, an independent literary magazine and publisher showcasing SWANA and Global South writers. Her translation of Mohsen Mohamed’s poetry was a finalist for the 2024 Eric Hoffer Awards (Montaigne and Provocateur Medals) and won the prize for Micro-Publishing. Her work has appeared in World Literature Today, The Markaz Review, and The Malahat Review. She is co-editor of the forthcoming anthology What She Said in Cairo, She Shouts in Gaza: Arab Feminist Resistance Across a Century.

Mark Foss is the author of three novels, including Borrowed Memories (8th House Publishing, 2024). His short fiction and essays have also appeared in Canadian, American, and British journals and anthologies. In addition to his own writing, he is the co-editor of The Book of Judith, an homage to the writer, poet, and teaching artist Judith Tannenbaum and her impact on marginalized and incarcerated students in the U.S. Visit him at www.markfoss.ca.

Jan Jorgensen is a poet and retired pastor. Her poetry has been published in Vallum Magazine, Kola Magazine, Montréal Serai, and 2020: An Anthology of Poetry with Drawings by Bill Liebeskind (Black Dog & One-Eyed Press, 2021), as well as other anthologies. Her debut volume of poetry Birthing Godde was published by Ekstasis Editions in 2024.

Ethel Meilleur, a native of Nova Scotia, now lives and writes in Montreal. Her work in Timeless Voices Anthology earned Meilleur the nomination as Poet of the Year in 2006. Meilleur’s poetry has appeared in Kola, The Blasted Tree, JONAH, Concordia Write Nights, and various other publications. Her chapbook, Funny Girl, was published in 2019, and Tinkle Little Tootie in 2024 (Sky of Ink Press). Meilleur’s work appeared in the Porch to Porch Maritime Haiku Anthology, 2024, and her chapbook, Black Woman Haiku, in 2025, published by Haiku of Canada and Yarrow Press, respectively.

Claire Sherwood is a Montreal writer, visual poet, oral storyteller. Her short fiction has appeared in Minority Reports: New English Writing in Quebec and her poetry in Kola Magazine, Zettel Magazine, carte blanche, Helios.  Her long poem Eat Your Words was published as a chapbook by Turret House Press in 2024. Her collage-poems have been exhibited at Expozine Montreal, Canzine, and Old Media Festival Morin Heights. She has appeared in storytelling lineups at Blue Metropolis and Confabulation.

Blossom Thom was a poet, editor, proofreader, educator, and beloved friend. Her poems document Black experiences, play with form, and, occasionally, include embedded text. Blossom’s poetry appeared during art collaborations and in literary magazines. Her chapbook, #HashtagRelief was published by Gaspereau Press in 2017. She shared her love of language by designing and leading poetry and editing workshops. Blossom created and led the What’s in a Name? poetry workshop.