Author Archives: Barry Pomeroy

About Barry Pomeroy

I had an English teacher in high school many years ago who talked about writing as something that people do, rather than something that died with Shakespeare. I began writing soon after, maudlin poetry followed by short prose pieces, but finally, after years of academic training, I learned something about the magic of the manipulated word.

Cascino Family Christmas

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Barry Pomeroy

I’d been visiting Silvio’s family in Argentina for a month by the time we drove to the mountains to visit his cousin. His cousin was renowned for her avarice and unmannered lack of civility, and so when Christmas Eve approached, … Continue reading →

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Narcissism and Greed in Christoph and Wolfgang Lauenstein’s Balance

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Barry Pomeroy

Perhaps one of the clearest exhibitions of narcissism is the breakdown in cooperation of the characters in Christoph and Wolfgang Lauenstein’s Balance. In the film, five men live on the world of a smooth metal plate which they must keep … Continue reading →

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Talking at Angles

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Barry Pomeroy

Many television shows were renowned for their dialogue, and in that way Barney Miller is no different. The show’s portrayal of New York policing, with its kinder and gentler approach to dealing with perpetrators and victims, as well as its … Continue reading →

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The Purpose of a Lie

Posted on February 26, 2022 by Barry Pomeroy

When Joyce chose to lie to her daughter it was as if she’d forgotten the purpose of a lie. She was trying to cover up her crime with perfidy, but she didn’t realize that making the person you are lying … Continue reading →

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The Myth of Narcissus

Posted on February 8, 2022 by Barry Pomeroy

Many know the rough outlines of the original myth of Narcissus, the man who was so enamoured with his own image that he drowned while reaching for his reflection in a pool. The original outlines of the myth are more … Continue reading →

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Pondering the Media During the 2022 Ottawa Trucker Convoy

Posted on February 5, 2022 by Barry Pomeroy

The various media systems of the world are overworked, and in the case of many of them, underpaid. This is exposed by the request, below most online news stories, to report any errors. With editors in short supply, the news … Continue reading →

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Such Friendly People

Posted on January 30, 2022 by Barry Pomeroy

When I first moved to Manitoba, I couldn’t avoid noticing the license plate. Each car proudly proclaimed—even while they were swerving in front of me for the advantage of a few metres—that I had arrived in friendly Manitoba. I made … Continue reading →

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Cultural Covid

Posted on January 11, 2022 by Barry Pomeroy

Now that Covid-19 has been with us for two years, its profound effects on the different societies of the planet are becoming more obvious. Relatively democratic societies, for all their flirtation with fascism, are descending into mob rule as unscrupulous … Continue reading →

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The Astronomers: Excerpt from A Hairy and Fiery Star

Posted on December 5, 2021 by Barry Pomeroy

The astronomers, their eyes fixed on the distant stars and their nights sacrificed to the demands of their ethereal trade, were the first to report the comet’s imminent arrival. As if the comet had come from below the plane of … Continue reading →

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Found Sentences: Customs and Traditions

Posted on November 19, 2021 by Barry Pomeroy

I’ve written before about the sentences and sentiments that my students will insert into their papers, and this year’s marking was no exception when it came to complicated nonsense infused with the gift of meaning. While writing about Thomas King’s … Continue reading →

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