Great Regulars: Congratulations to/Félicitations à Pierre DesRuisseaux,

the 63-years-young poet, editor, translator, fictionalist and anthologist just named to the post of Canada's Parliamentary Poet Laureate who shall abso-deffo rise to the occasion replacing the accomplished and awe-inspiring John Steffler for a two-year term. According to "the job description," DesRuisseaux will compose poetry (especially for state occasions [unless, of course, he comes down with a case of Motionitis :)]), sponsor poetry readings; and, bien sûr, advise the parliamentary librarian on appropriate poetic acquisitions.

from Judith Fitzgerald: The Globe and Mail: In Other Words: Magnifique!

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The mention of scrapple--a loaf made of flour and meat-ends--solidifies [George] Bowering's realisation we must always make the best of a raw deal: ". . . You have to hand it to someone/who makes an asset out of what looks like a drawback . . .." Thus, while the work's entitled, "I Like Summer," readers ultimately discover Bowering's less in step with the seasons and more in tune with the likes of Anton Chekhov (who wrote, "People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy"). Nevertheless, I mean it when I say . . .

I Like Summer

from Judith Fitzgerald: The Globe and Mail: In Other Words: In celebration of planetary poetry month 24

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"See," a self-portrait sparked by a corruption of a photograph of her own heavily kohled eye, appears in Boki, but one example among many demonstrating the unique way in which [Nitoo] Das takes great pleasure in uglifying the beautiful in order to paradoxically renew and/or amplify the greater beauty inherent in such enterprises. Naturally, it will come as no surprise Das is particularly drawn to insects and creepy-crawlies (not to mention rust, decomposition and decay).

See

from Judith Fitzgerald: The Globe and Mail: In Other Words: In celebration of planetary poetry month 25

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On one particular journey up the Amazon, [Patrick] Woodcock encountered a pod of pink dolphins (as well as learning the local legends and lore surrounding same: The dolphins, according to the inhabitants, actually represent the reincarnated souls of recently departed loved ones). Still alive to the memories of his deeply missed mother, Woodcock took comfort and solace in the stories which inspired this simply stunning poem included in his forthcoming ECW collection.

Swimming with Pink Dolphins
and My Dead Mother

from Judith Fitzgerald: The Globe and Mail: In Other Words: In celebration of planetary poetry month 26

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