Beyond the Gate
Poetry and Photography
by Doug Jordan and Sidney Shapira

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When the world amazes and words fail the rest of us, true poets step up to capture such moments forever, and then hold them up for the consideration, edification, and enjoyment of others … like precious gems best viewed from multiple angles. The poems (and photography) in this collection do just that, with the poignant and thought-provoking work of Doug Jordan and Sidney Shapira inviting readers to stop awhile and ponder what truly might lie Beyond the Gate. Supported once again by the artful photography of Sidney Shapira, this collection is a follow-up to The Gate and Other Poems on a Life’s Journey (FriesenPress 2021), a poetry collection that truly captured the hearts and minds of its readers. Examining similar themes as its predecessor, with provocative, inspiring, and occasionally amusing poetry, Sidney has added his own poetic voice to the collection this time, elevating and expanding its appeal and ensuring that this next journey to the gate and beyond is well worth taking.

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Doug Jordan and Sidney Shapira have a long history together, having met more than fifty years ago when Sidney was one of Doug’s students. Although Doug left teaching for a few years to pursue a law career, he was eventually drawn back to the fulfillment of teaching young minds. And perhaps it was the strength of this “calling” that inspired his former student to follow in his footsteps, as Sidney would go on to become a teacher, a principal, and a consultant before his own retirement when he began pursuing his love of photography full time. Doug has spent much of his life writing and became a poet when he was only a teenager (to “get the girls”). In 2000, he and two other authors established “The Writer’s Collective” to support writers in Winnipeg just starting out on their journeys. Although Sidney is newer to the craft, with Doug’s encouragement, he has immersed himself in developing his skills with the same creative determination as he approaches his photography, studying with Poet Laureate Di Brandt and being mentored by Victoria-based writer/actor/activist Addena Sumter-Freitag, determined to match the high quality of Doug’s poetic offerings. Having recently taken up painting as a creative outlet, Doug still feels compelled to create poetry on a regular basis from his home in Winnipeg, where he enjoys spending time with his three children and four grandchildren. A new member of the Manitoba Writers’ Guild, Sidney also enjoys travelling, working as an agency liaison for the United Way, and continuing both his photographic and writing pursuits in his hometown of Winnipeg, where he lives with his wife, Denise Belanger, not far from their adult son and daughter-in-law.

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Contributors

Author

Doug Jordan

Author

Sidney Shapira

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