Sudbury poet releases new anthology

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A Sudbury poet has released another collection that comes from personal experiences and big moments in his life.

‘Palpitations’ is the second series of poems from Sudbury’s Thomas Leduc, his first in six years.

“This is about the palpitating moments in our lives,” Leduc said in an interview.

“They are poems about the first day of a new job, when you leave home, maybe when you decided what you wanted to be when you grow up.”

He said there are also more subtle moments in his book, moments where something you see changes you for the day or as simple as just spending time with a loved one.

There is also a section in the book about COVID.

“The pandemic was a palpitating moment for the entire world,” Leduc said.

“During that time, I took some time to write some poems on what my family went through and what other families went through.”

The author began crafting poems when he was in high school.

He said he struggled a lot because of a learning disability, dyslexia.

“(Writing) wasn’t something that I thought I could do until later in life when computers came out, and I could be aided and helped,” the author said.

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Discovering the Sudbury Writers Guild group is when things clicked for him, he said.

“They help give you that confidence and help you build your work,” Leduc said.

One day, he said he was at an open mic at the Greater Sudbury Library, where there was a poetry contest.

Leduc decided to enter and won.

“My poem won,” he said.

“Then I thought,’ I am a poet.’ I looked back at my work and there was poetry in there.”

Leduc said he believed at that point that he had all the signs that this was what he needed to do.

He went on to be Sudbury’s Poet Laureate from 2014-2016.

His poems and short stories have been published in various magazines and anthologies.

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