The poem was also inspired by a dream I had about Niagara Falls and the
poet/short story writer Raymond Carver. Here is an excerpt from my notes on
the project:
The night before my first meeting with the curator of the Burlington Art
Centre - George Wale, I dreamt I traveled to Niagara Falls to visit an Open
House. A house (apparently) owned by the American poet and short story
writer, Raymond Carver. In the dream I take off my shoes and walk in. Other
visitors are milling about. It is quite dark inside. I am drawn to the back
of the house. It is lighter there and I hear an ever-thundering
whoosh!
When I reach the end of the house there is no wall. It is completely open. A
small backyard and beyond that, the American Falls:
stand water awed in
Ray’s backyard. No fences. No barriers. The view is breathtaking. I
wake up.
A few hours later I am sitting in George’s office.
While explaining The Water Project, he proceeds to rummage through
his papers to show me some of the artists’ work. The first image he shares
with me is Ibing’s Niagara II. I am speechless. There on paper is my
dream. Whoosh!
A New Path to the Waterfall was Raymond
Carver’s last book. A book of poetry written during the last year of his
life, he died of cancer in 1988.
