A Constellation of Mentors & The Donald E. Waterfall Scholarship Deadline Extended to June 15
Carrying forward a legacy of poetry mentorship
Welcome to Archipel, an ongoing dialogue between me (Cara Waterfall) and other poets and creatives of all kinds, celebrating the ways we connect through mentorship, community and transitions.If you are interested in participating, please send me an email by replying to this newsletter or click here.
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Archipel was also inspired by my very first poetry mentor, my father. When you purchase a subscription to this newsletter, you are paying into a scholarship fund in his name, which will support one emerging poet.
I’m proud to tell you that the fund currently has $2, 000 USD! And we will be raising funds until September 1, 2025. To learn more about The Donald E. Waterfall Scholarship Fund, click here. Applications are open NOW!
A Legacy in Letters
My father's relationship with books profoundly shaped my understanding of mentorship. After losing his own father at the age of 10, he found solace in literature. Books opened windows to worlds beyond his own and ultimately inspired his career in the Foreign Service — and later, his return to undergraduate teaching.
His love of words became one of his greatest gifts to me — the art of finding meaning through language. During his months in a Toronto hospital, while I was living in Costa Rica, I sent him poems daily via the hospital messaging system. Some were joyful, others contemplative — each line connecting us across continents. Throughout my life, my father had shown me how words could anchor me in the present, and help me articulate life's difficult moments.
Like poetry, mentorship can also transcend physical presence. I've never met my poetry mentors, Fiona Tinwei Lam and Jennifer K. Sweeney, in person; yet, they have been present for me through many pivotal moments in my life and have been critical to my evolution as a poet.
The Community Builder: Fiona Tinwei Lam
In 2016, while living in London and expecting my third child, I made the most of my sleepless nights by enrolling in a Poetry & Lyric Discourse diploma at Simon Fraser University's Writer's Studio. Despite having to wake up at 2:30am twice weekly for workshops, I was thrilled to study under acclaimed poet Fiona Tinwei Lam in an intimate group of four students.
Fiona's teaching approach emphasized the importance of constructive feedback. She created a nurturing environment where poets could be vulnerable and take creative risks, always starting with positive observations before suggesting any edits. While developing a thick skin is necessary for handling rejection in poetry submissions, Fiona showed how workshops could provide a safe space for growth.
Fiona is also a powerhouse in the poetry community. She has led numerous writing workshops for diverse groups including adult students, immigrants, low-income adults, single parents, and students of all ages. During her term as Vancouver's Poet Laureate (2022-2024), she launched the City Poems Project, organizing poetry contests and creating publications that celebrated local voices. She also curated In/Verse, a monthly online poetry series showcasing local published poets.
I'm grateful that Fiona was one of the first to review early drafts of poems that would later appear in my collection, Radiant Wound. Her guidance over the years has been invaluable.
The Poetry Architect: Jennifer K. Sweeney
When I began working on my first poetry manuscript, I searched online for a poetry editor. Having read Jennifer's work, I reached out to her with a few poems. I was astonished by how she understood not only where revisions were needed, but also my deeper vision for the poems.
Jennifer's role as a poetry architect involves examining every element of a poem's structure with precision. She has this uncanny ability to pinpoint exactly where different word choices, line breaks or syntax can elevate a poem. Through her attention to these poetic "building blocks," she has helped transform my work and made me a better poet in the process.
She has helped me write poems for all sorts of occasions, including a funeral, a wedding and countless other moments where finding the right words felt crucial. And she has never failed to help me navigate both the ordinary and extraordinary circumstances of my life through poetry.
Mentorship Across Borders
Both Fiona and Jennifer have been my poetry mentors for almost a decade and yet I've never met them in person. While I often dream of sharing a coffee with Fiona in Vancouver or discussing line breaks with Jennifer in California, there's something magical about how we've created deep mentoring relationships across time zones and borders. Through countless email exchanges and manuscript revisions, I’ve learned that meaningful creative guidance doesn't require physical proximity.
Poetry mentorship has transformed my life, which is why I included a one-year mentorship with the Donald E. Waterfall Scholarship Fund. While the financial support is valuable, mentorship is what sustains us through the long haul.
To that end, I wanted to include an update on the Scholarship Fund…
✨ The Donald E. Waterfall Scholarship Fund: Deadline Extension: June 15
🚨 URGENT: The Donald E. Waterfall Scholarship Fund deadline has been EXTENDED to June 15th, 2025 (midnight UTC). Don't miss this incredible opportunity!
What you'll receive:
$2,000 USD* in financial support (*growing through donations and paid subscriptions until September 1, 2025)
Exclusive one-year mentorship (October 2025 - October 2026)
Expert feedback from distinguished judges rob mclennan and Salima Tourkmani-MacDonald
This scholarship carries forward my father's commitment to poetry and education. His journey, transformed by scholarships to the University of Toronto and Princeton University, inspired me to create this fund for emerging poets.
✨ Eligibility Requirements:
18+ years old (worldwide applications welcome)
Writing primarily in English
No previous full-length poetry book publications
⏰ Time is running out! Submit your application before June 15th.
Don't let this opportunity slip away - your chances of being selected are excellent as this is our inaugural year!
Thank you for reading!
With love and intention,
Cara
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this, Cara. Two wonderful mentors, one of whom I too am deeply grateful for.