Kathryn MacDonald

Profile

Kathryn MacDonald’s poetry has been published in Room, FreeFall and other Canadian literary journals and anthologies, as well as internationally in the U.K., U.S., and other countries. Her new poetry collection, The Blue Gate is forthcoming Spring 2026 with Frontenac House. Wayside, a chapbook, is forthcoming Winter 2026 with Big Pond Rumours Press. Liminal Spaces is a chapbook anthology of ekphrastic poetry by Kathryn and three fellow-poets (2025). She is the author of Far Side of the Shadow Moon: Enchantments (poetry chapbook, 2024), A Breeze You Whisper: Poems (2010) and Calla & Édourd (novel, 2009). For more information: https://kathrynmacdonald.com.

The Blue Gate

The Blue Gate explores the surprise of love, the shock of loss, and challenges boundaries and liminal spaces. It probes into a love affair that defies conventions, capturing the narrator’s voice from the first lyrical poem. With the death of the belovèd, an invitation to fly to Kenya arrives; it’s accepted; and the long title poem ravels and unravels reality. Poems in the final section question the loss of intimacy, loneliness, change, and unattainable acceptance. The poetry is vivid and grounded in the senses and in nature, whether set in Canada or Africa. The collection seeks – what – understanding, consolation, release, or does it ask whether love enriches or leaves one lost?

This book is a lyric journey that I invite you to share – joy, wonder, sadness, more sadness. It’s a celebration, a rune, a lament. It’s also about chance and trust and risk. The Blue Gate is a puzzling out.

Liminal Spaces

Liminal Spaces is a chapbook anthology of ekphrastic poetry by Kathryn and three fellow-poets: Katie Hoogandam, Felicity Sidnell, and Gwynn Scheltema (2025).

Far Side of the Shadow Moon: Enchantments

Havelock: Glentula Press, 2024

I like the originality of voice, subject, style, atmosphere and imagery of each poem…. Strider Marcus Jones, Editor, Lothlorien Poetry Journal.

As I’m reading, I kept asking, who are her influences? There’s a lilt to the poems I can’t place, but I’ll chance a guess and say, Yeats, perhaps Heaney.…But whoever [the] influences, it’s lovely poetry with a gentle, reflective voice and intensely lyrical one. And just at the right time…“gnarly.” Bruce Hunter, author of Galestro, the most recent of ten published books.

A Breeze You Whisper:

Poems (Brighton: Hidden Brook Press, 2011)

• Review excerpt: “If I had to choose one word for [MacDonald’s] poetry, I’d say ‘sensuality.’ …A Breeze You Whisper entwines, with simplicity and smoothness, two major themes at the core of poetry: nature and love.” Professor Miguel Ángel Olivé Iglesias (“Whispers and Flames,” 131-134, In a Fragile Moment: A Landscape of Canadian Poetry, HBP, 2020)

Calla & Édourd

Fiction. (Brighton: Hidden Brook Press, 2009)

• Quotes from readers, Calla & Édourd garnered comments such as, “I was hooked after having read only the preface (as well as the entire book that same evening) [L.S.]. “I could see everything like a movie running through my head” [P.C.]. “I loved the explanation of perfection for Édourd on page 96 and the stories ‘…steeped in the tea of superstition and Catholicism’” [G.M.].

The Farm & City Cookbook

• Essays and recipes co-authored with Mary Lou Morgan. (Toronto: Second Story Press, 1995)

Workshops & Writing

• Facilitator of hands-on, participatory workshops or individual coaching sessions.
• Freelance articles on the arts and book reviews.

Sample of how-to articles on Kathryn’s website

• Why Write a Chapbook? And Red Alders in an Island Dream by Christopher Howell (February 22, 2021) – Read now
• What Makes a Good Poem (how-to read; how-to write) Archives: October 5, 2020 – Read now
• How to Write a Good Poem – 6 Writing Tips, Archives: January 20, 2020 – Read now

Education

• Writing: studied with Alistair MacLeod; mentored by W.O. Mitchell (University of Windsor) followed by numerous workshops including those by Patrick Lane, John Newlove (1981) through to Lorna Crozier (2018) and, more recently, three online six-week classes with Ellen Bass (2021-22)
• B.A. (University of Windsor); MPA (Queen’s University, Kingston)

Member

• The Writers Union of Canada
• League of Canadian Poets 
• The Ontario Poetry Society
• Spirit of the Hills

Contact information

email: whiteoakstudio21@gmail.com
website: https://kathrynmacdonald.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.macdonald.754/