Bill Arnott, Author, Poet, Songwriter

Penn Kemp and Mary McDonald’s “River Revery” is a stunning multimedia mélange – words, music and images that heighten already rich artistry into a wondrous sensory experience! 

Aliyana Ruekberg

OMG…..am blown away once again by Penn’s poignant and powerful poem that is even more enhanced by Mary McDonald’s stunningly beautiful animation. MAGICAL.”

Diana B. Beresford-Kroeger, Author of The Global Forest

“To the western world, the word Thames is a mystery that even a sage cannot solve. In the past, places like the routes of rivers were known to everybody. And language always held a clue, especially in oral culture. The River Thames of London, England leads us back to Sanskrit….To Penn Kemp and the people of Southern Ontario, it reminds them of their heritage in ‘stealing’ a name for their beautiful home.

Poetry also refreshes the dream. So sit by the trees of your Carolinian Forest and make a wish. I will join you in this. Wishes lead to hope. Hope leads to action. So let’s hope that the waters of River Revery can feed the forests of blue ash, Fraxinus quadrangulata, whose blue dye was once used in the popcorn wedding baskets for the First Nations of Canada. Let us all wish and hope together that we can protect this environment for Ula and Kai. Amen.”

Aliyana Ruekberg

“Love it! The animations are such a fabulous enhancement to Penn Kemp’s brilliant poetry.  Magical visuals.”

Catherine Morrisey, Painter

“This is wonderful. What a beautiful website!  I love the name RiverRevery! Makes me think I will go for a paddle on this last sunny warm day.”

The London Beat

“I love this project, ladies, congratulations. Londoners are so blessed by the vitality and entertainment of the Thames, that too oft is taken for granted.”

Sharon Thesen, Poet

Thanks so much for the River Revery website—just lovely. What a great project.”

Holly Briesmaster, Painter

River Revery is a beautiful love song given to the River and the blessed space you call home. How fortunate to live with such Beauty at your doorstep! I particularly like the Gallery discs—Look Closely and Jungle. Whole worlds are there. The Animation section is like an Incantation–—drawing us into the vortex of its being of place. So personal and with vision universal. Your voice—conjuring with transfiguring imagery— — —True Congratulations to you and Mary McDonald.