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October 05, 2021Poetry Should "Be Surprised By What it Says": David O'Meara on Why Poems Shouldn't Try to Be Poems
Canadian writers know Ottawa-based poet David O'Meara not only for his acclaimed collections but also his contributions to the community. From serving as the founding Artistic Director for VERSeFest ...
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May 30, 2021
Poetry: A Healing Tool for Dark Days
I started this month with mental health for writers, and I want to end it with a more personal look at the same topic.One of the many reasons I’ve been grateful to Open Book for offering me this residency ...
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October 16, 2020Poets Becoming Novelists: On Trusting Leaps and Fragments
I finished the first draft of my novel in mid-March – in the first week of isolation. I hadn’t grasped the gravity of the pandemic then, so I was grateful for the sudden reprieve from the real world. ...
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March 31, 2020Poets in Profile: Beatriz Hausner Talks Rimbaud, Growing Up with Poetry, and Canada's Need for International Literature
Toronto-based poet Beatriz Hausner's forthcoming new collection, Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart (available April 16 through Book*hug) is an examination of humanity's long-standing love affair with, ...
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April 30, 2020Poets in Profile: Catherine Owen on Accepting the Muse, Tennyson's "The Eagle", and the Politics of Poetry
After addiction claimed the life of her spouse in 2010, poet Catherine Owen packed up and moved into an apartment on Vancouver's Fraser River. During her morning walks along the shore, she found in its ...
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April 16, 2020Poets in Profile: Conyer Clayton on John Berryman, Seeing the Big Picture, and Finding Acceptance
Originally from Kentucky, poet, multi-disciplinary artist, and gymnastics coach Conyer Clayton is a freshly-minted Canadian citizen who now calls Ottawa home. Her debut full-length collection, We Shed ...
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January 31, 2017Poets in Profile: February Writer-in-Residence Dane Swan
We're excited to introduce our February 2017 writer-in-residence, Dane Swan, whose most recent book, A Mingus Lullaby (Guernica Editions), is a fascinating poetic examination of musician, composer ...
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April 07, 2020Poets in Profile: Irfan Ali on Vulnerability, Strong Endings, and His New Collection
12th century Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi created an iconic, seemingly indestructible work when he birthed the tale of Layla and Manjun. Over the years, the re-telling of the classic story has become ...
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March 16, 2016Poets in Profile: James Lindsay
March 30, 2016 - Toronto book lovers already know James Lindsay as one of the friendly faces behind the counter at indie darling TYPE Books on Queen West, but his own acclaimed poetry has also been appearing ...
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February 02, 2016Poets in Profile: Majlinda Bashllari
Majlinda Bashllari published her first poetry collection in Albania in 2007. Less than ten years later the Toronto-based poet has released her first English language collection, Love is a very long word ...