National Poetry Month and more: Vibes on vibes!

It’s hard to believe I’m stepping into the final months of my term as

Ontario’s Poet Laureate. Time doesn’t just pass, it moves, it teaches,

it leaves something within you if you’re paying attention.

During National Poetry Month I was certainly paying attention.

This being my second April in the role, I found myself not just

moving through the work, but witnessing it. Feeling it in the new

spaces, the new voices, the new rooms that were filled with

possibility.

The month opened up in Vaughan, where for the first couple weeks I

worked closely with the students at Forest Run Public School.

Twelve workshops. Twelve opportunities to build something

together. We explored spoken word as a cool way to begin and to

close their school-wide presentation of the play WICKED jr. Even

more than that, we explored language as a mirror. The importance of

acceptance, the beauty of friendship and the power in our

differences, helped guide the conversations we had. Watching

students find themselves in those themes reminded me why poetry

continues to matter. It all came together on May 6 and 7 as parents,

teachers, siblings and community members came out to witness the

magical show.

On April 18, Barrie called. A gathering of poets across time and title,

Ty the Poetess, Bruce Meyer, George Elliott Clarke and myself.

Different journeys but one shared purpose. We didn’t just read

poems; we spoke about legacy. About where poetry has been, and

where it’s going, especially in a world shifting under the influence

of AI. What keeps us grounded is simple: truth, expression, and the

need to be heard.

The very next day, April 19, I was back in familiar territory in sauga

city aka Mississauga. My old stomping grounds and the place that

raised me, partnering with the Mississauga Arts Council for Poets

for PEACE. Alongside Mississauga’s youth poet laureate Tahira and

Mississauga’s poet laureate Andrea, we created space. Not just to

perform, but to write with community. To remind people that poetry

isn’t reserved for stages, it lives in everyone willing to listen to the

inner voice and express it in the outer.

April 23 carried a different kind of energy. The morning began at the

Hockey Hall of Fame, delivering a keynote with the Herb Carnegie

Foundation and Future Aces. A space rooted in sport, but grounded

in character. By evening, the tone shifted to reflection as we

gathered at the Archives of Ontario for a special event at York

University. Joined by Randell Adjei, Amani, Britta B, and Realije,

we reached back sharing pieces over 20 years old. There’s

something powerful about revisiting your own words, seeing who

you were and how that voice still echoes. It was also a moment to

invite others into the exhibit Illuminate Black, a reminder that

archives aren’t just history, they are living memory. Having been

present at the launch of the exhibit in February 2026, I felt it

important to continue the conversation. Black history is world

history and Black history is Canadian history.

From April 24 to 29, the days blended into one continuous thread of

connection. Edenwood Public School. Kings Christian Collegiate.

Durham District Catholic School Board. In classrooms, auditoriums,

and virtual spaces, we explored what it means to use your voice. The

Ubuntu series ‘I am because we are’ wasn’t just a theme, it was a

practice. Every place reinforced it.

I closed the month back again in sauga city at the Mississauga

Valleys Community Centre. Another event with the Mississauga

Arts Council and the City of Mississauga, this time centering on the

youth. Watching participants write, build, and then stand in front of

their peers to share their work, was beautiful to watch. Something

wonderful happens when we step outside of our comfort zones and

speak!

April was full, demanding, energizing however, more than anything,

it was affirming. Poetry continues to find its way into spaces where

it’s needed most, not as decoration, but as foundation. As a tool and

as a bridge.

As I move into these final months of my term, I’m not slowing

down. I’m listening more closely, watching more intentionally and

preparing for what comes next. I look forward to continuing to

travel this province, carrying the word forward and leaving space for

others to do the same. The power of words and poetry doesn’t end

when the national month of celebration does. It lives in what we

build after. So we will keep building!

With passion, gratitude and love,

Matthew-Ray Jones

Ontario Poet Laureate

February and Beyond: Moving the Work

This year, as Ontario’s Poet Laureate, February asked me something deeper. How are you moving the work when no one is watching? This question has followed me everywhere. P.E.A.C.E. People Everywhere Actually Coexisting Equally has been doing this work for 15 years. Not as a slogan, but as a practice. Through education, empowerment and community connection we leave footprints everywhere we go. The work is done through workshops, assemblies, trainings and keynotes—yes. However it’s also hallway conversations, eye contact, silence held with care and a person realizing their story matters.

This month, my footsteps trace a living map. Starting early in the morning on February 2 as part of my annual free program give away, arriving at Holy Rosary while the day is still stretching awake. Then off to the afternoon energy at JM Deynes—two different rooms, the same intention, plant something that lasts and kickoff the month strong. I head to St. Bernard of Clairvaux on February 3 then to a couple correctional institutions on February 5 and 6 where poetry becomes less about performance and more about survival. These are the moments that remind me that Black history lives in bodies. It lives in choices. It lives in whether or not we choose to see one another fully.

When I stand at Bishop Allen on February 11, I’ll be offering two assemblies back-to-back, where I’ll keep the energy high and consistent. On February 12 at Queen’s Park, Black History Month carries formality, P.E.A.C.E. teaches us that legacy isn’t what you say once; it’s what you practice daily. So like we say in Hip Hop, Keep It Moving to the K.I.M.!

The journey continues with Wilclay Public School February 13 with three artists brining our styles together. I’ll be at the Jonathan Davies Youth Hub in Malton February 17 for an after school poetry writing workshop, where participants can share their own voice. After that I’ll get a small break from the driving as I do a Halton event virtually February 18, proof that connection doesn’t require a shared room, just shared intention. Next stops are St. Margaret of Scotland February 19 in Mississauga and Ogden Junior PS February 20 in Toronto.

By the time I reach St. Monica February 23 in Brampton, it will be my 44th birthday and I can’t think of better way to celebrate than being with a school to bring them my contagious energy. Then I’ll be with Sts. Peter and Paul February 24 as the month starts to close. This year I’m thinking deeply about footprints. About what we leave behind when we exit a room.

February 25 carries me from St. Francis De Sales in the morning to John Dryden in Whitby by noon—different cities, but the work stays the same. February 26, beatbox and poetry meet at Joseph A. Gibson Public School. We’ll be teaching what textbooks can’t as we have some students participate in the show with us! On February 28, at the Mississauga SDA Church, February doesn’t end—it exhales.

Footprints: It’s All About the Journey. Exploring Black excellence. Honouring resistance. Making room for joy. Reflecting on legacy, not as something we inherit, but something we actively build through everyday actions. This is why the conversation cannot live only in February. No not just in February, but for every day that comes after.

Black history doesn’t clock out, so let us keep the fire burning.

Sincerely,

Matthew-Ray Jones

Ontario’s Poet Laureate

Year One: Poetry, Power & Community Across Ontario

My first year as Ontario’s Poet Laureate has been nothing short of transformative. From classrooms to stages, library halls to festivals, intimate readings to city-wide celebrations, 2024–2025 has been a season of movement, language, and community. I’ve travelled across the province sharing poetry, building connections, and witnessing the powerful ways people show up for art, culture, and each other.

Looking back at the highlights of this first year, I’m filled with profound gratitude. I’m proud to know my name is written in history and I’m excited to continue this great work.

Queens Park – November 26, 2024

A milestone I’ll hold close for the rest of my life. Standing in Queen’s Park with my family, representing my passion for words, art, Hip Hop, and the communities that raised me, affirmed the purpose behind this work.

Speaking at Western University to celebrate the launch of its newly founded Black Studies Major was epic beyond words.

What an accomplishment for the school, for the community, and for the generations who have been pushing for this recognition. I’m blown away by the historical events I got to be a part of in my first year.

Things got beautifully surreal when Dwayne Morgan for “When Brothers Speak” put our faces on a billboard at Sankofa Square. Never in my life did I think I would experience all of these things.

Each gathering reminded me that poetry is still very much a living, breathing force. Talking about spoken word, purpose, healing, and community through these platforms helped expand the dialogue far beyond the stage. I’m grateful for the articles written about my work and this journey. This year brought deep and meaningful conversations that will live on through time.

If this first year has taught me anything, it’s that language whether spoken, written, or performed has the ability to shift a room, a person and a community. Every event, every occasion, every long drive across Ontario reaffirmed the truth I carry with me everywhere:

Everything is created in language. What we say shapes the world, you are what you say you are!

Thank you to everyone who opened their doors, shared their stories, invited me into their spaces, and reminded me that words are powerful because we the people are powerful.

With tremendous gratitude and love,

Matthew-Ray Jones

Ontario’s Poet Laureate