On the evening of February 8th, 2024, I had the pleasure of attending the “Hearts and Flowers Poetry Reading” by Peterborough poet, and former Arthur editor PJ Thomas. The event consisted of live readings of classic and strange love poems by Thomas, just in time for the season of love. The evening was hosted by Take Cover Books, a local bookstore in East City Peterborough. 

Upon entering, I was met with a fun and welcoming environment that truly set the tone for the night. Warm laughter and conversation filled the bookstore as more guests began arriving. Everyone seemed eager to listen to the poet showcase her work. Thomas took the time to chat with me, and almost everyone else that came to see the reading before she took the stage, speaking with me about her time at Arthur and at Trent. 

The moment Thomas began reciting her poems, I was captivated. The kindness and eloquence I noticed in our previous conversation was greatly reflected in her work. 

The intimate poetry reading included around 20 of Thomas’ original poems, from her books: Waves, Undertow, and other unreleased poems. One of the poems called “I Love You or Please Wear Socks” was written specifically for this event. 

The poems were undoubtedly amazing. Thomas’ ability to articulate themes of the mundane through an emotional and intimate lens is what I enjoyed the most about her work. Simple pleasures, such as nature, routine and interaction are often overlooked. These passive themes are what Thomas’ poems are rooted in. The poet’s writing encourages us to slow down and be fully present, despite the fast-paced lives that many of us live. 

The “Hearts and Flowers Poetry Reading” explored themes of love, intimacy, and connection within friendships, romantic relationships, nature, oneself, and the passing of time. Through irony and lyrical verses, Thomas expresses with ease the subtleties of human connection and life, and the unintentional routines emerging from love. 

My personal favourites were the poems about her cat, who she later told me goes by the many names of Billy, Beautiful Bill, and Handsome Billy. (If you are as big a fan of this cat as I am, I suggest following Thomas’ Instagram page and Tiktok, as she told me she posts plenty of quality Beautiful Bill content).

Towards the end of the event, I had the opportunity to speak with Thomas again about her interest in poetry and writing, which started when she was in the fifth grade. When introduced to poetry in school, Thomas said she “took to it like a duck to water”. She continued by telling me that some of her interest also stemmed from the stories and poems read to her by her father during her childhood. 

Having written for much of her life, Thomas explained to me that she finds inspiration in everything. She is inspired by admiring the small things in life, such as human connection, interaction, geography and animals. The poet mentioned the phrase “seeing the small things as big”, which I find is very representative of her overall poetry. 

As previously mentioned, PJ Thomas has two self-published poetry books: Undertow and Waves, along with an upcoming third to complete The Water Trilogy. When asked about the process, Thomas stated that she loved writing these collections. She continued by saying that “publishing is really the start”, as this part of the process allows her work to exit her private sphere and to reach a wider audience.

Thomas’ books are available to purchase on her website, at Take Cover Books, at Watson and Lou, and on Amazon. In addition to her books, her website also features free poetry available for anyone to read, and announcements about her exciting upcoming project ‘12 Weeks of Bliss’. Thomas also has a pateron through which you can support her work. 

I feel very grateful to have had the opportunity to attend the “Hearts and Flowers Poetry Reading” and to have met PJ Thomas. I strongly suggest supporting PJ Thomas’ fantastic work and Take Cover Books, as they put together a great evening. I had a wonderful time and definitely recommend keeping your eyes open for more events like this in the future.