Poetry is Public is Poetry

Poets

Lillian Allen has published numerous discography works, six works of writing, and performs her poetry alone and with de dub poets at national and international events. She is recipient of two Juno Awards and her writing has been featured in the National Film Board of Canada.

Margret Atwood has published numerous award-winning works of fiction, poetry, short stories, literary criticisms and children’s books. Aside from many awards, she has received honorary degrees from several Canadian universities as well as Oxford University in England. Some other honours include The Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence in the U.K., the National Arts Club Medal of Honor for Literature in the U.S., and Le Chevallier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France. The poetry excerpt used was selected from the poem “The Weather” in her book The Door (McClelland _ Stewart, 2009).

Ronna Bloom is the author of four books of poetry and is a well-recognized teacher and psychotherapist. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem "Public Works " in her collection Public Works (Pedlar Press, 2004), which was shortlisted for the Pat Lowther Award.

Roo Borson has published ten works of poetry and is represented in numerous anthologies. She is recipient of the 2004 Governor General’s Literary award for Poetry and the 2005 Griffin Poetry Prize and a finalist for the Trillium Book Award. The poetry fragment was selected from the poem “Color of Stars” in her collection The Whole Night, Coming Home (McClelland _ Stewart,1984).

Dionne Brand is Toronto's Poet Laureate serving as the City's literary ambassador to advocate poetry, language and the arts. She has published nine volumes of poetry, which have won the Governor General's Award, the Trillium Book Award, the Pat Lowther Award, the Toronto Book Award and the Harbourfront Festival Prize. The poetry excerpt was selected from her book Ossuaries (McClelland _ Stewart, 2010). She is Professor and University Research Chair in the School of English and Theatre Studies at the University of Guelph.

Jason Camlot has published three works of poetry. He also serves as poetry editor of the Punchy Writers Series, an imprint of DC Books. His poetry has been a finalist for the Gabrielle Roy Prize and the Quebec Writer’s Federation A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem “Sonnet After Baudelaire” in his third work The Debaucher (Insomniac Press, 2008).

George Elliott Clarke is the inaugural E.J. Pratt Professor of Canadian Literature at the University of Toronto and has published many plays, poetry and works of fiction. His awards include the 1998 Portia White Prize, the 2001 Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry, the 2001 National Magazine Gold Medal for Poetry and the 2004 Martin Luther Kind, Jr. Achievement Award. The poetry except was selected from his poem “The River Pilgrim: A Letter in his book Whylah Falls.

Leonard Cohen has written numerous works of fiction and song as well as ten books of poetry. His writing and music have won countless awards including the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem “On the Path” in his Book of Longing (McClelland _ Stewart, 2008), which instantly became a bestseller in Canada.

Lorna Crozier is the author of fifteen works of poetry and has served as editor of many anthologies. Her poetry collection Inventing the Hawk received the Governor General’s Literary award for Poetry. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem “Packing for the Future: Instructions” in her book The Blue Hour of the Day (McClelland _ Stewart, 2009).

Don Domanski is the author of eight published books of poetry. He won the CBC Literary Award for Poetry in 1999 and his collections Wolf Ladder and Stations of the Left Hand were shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem “In the Dream of the Yellow Birches” in his collection All Our Wonder Unavenged (Brick Books, 2007), which received the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry.

Stan Dragland has published four books of fiction and was a founding editor of Brick Books. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem "Dry Bones" in his collection Stormy Weather: Foursomes (Pedlar Press, 2005), which was shortlisted for the 2007 E.J. Pratt Poetry Prize.

Catherine Graham has published three works of poetry and her fourth Winterkill will be published with Insomniac Press in 2010. She had been featured in international anthologies, serves as Vice President of Project Bookmark Canada and has been nominated for an Excellence in Teaching Award at The University of Toronto. The poetry excerpt selected was taken from the poem “Window Washer Sings at Terminal” in her poetry collection The Red Element (Insomniac Press, 2008).

Phil Hall is a teacher, author of ten books of poetry, and serves as editor and publisher of Flat Singles Press His book Trouble Sleeping was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award in 2001 and his book An Oak Hunch (Brick Books, 2005), from which the poetry fragment was taken, was shortlisted for the Canadian Griffin Poetry Prize.

Maureen Scott Harris is known as an author and reviewer, has served as manager of Brick Books and has held different positions at the University of Toronto libraries. She is the first non-Australian to win the WildCare Tasmania Nature Writing Prize. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem "Mudra: the Empty Bowl" in her collection Drowning Lessons (Pedlar Press, 2004), which won the 2005 Trillium Book Award.

Angela Hibbs has published two books of poetry. She is recipient of the 2001 Starchie Award and her first book Passport was long listed for the ReLit Award. Her work has also been shortlisted for the Irving Layton Award. The poetry fragment was chosen from the poem “George Dyer Sketches for a Portrait of Francis Bacon: Knowledge” in her second book Wanton (Insomniac Press, 2009).

Eve Joseph has written two books of poetry. Her first, The Startled Heart was nominated for the Dorothy Livesay Award. The poetry fragment was chosen the poem “Creation” in her second book The Secret Signature of Things (Brick Books, 2010).

Jeff Latosik is a teacher and poet whose poems have appeared in numerous magazines and journals. He is recipient of the P. K. Page Founders Award, the This Magazine’s Great Canadian Literary Hunt and was a finalist for the Bronwen Wallace Award. The poetry excerpt was selected from his poem “On Climbing a Ladder” in his first book Tiny, Frantic, Stronger (Insomniac Press, 2010).

Ehab Lotayef is a poet, photographer, Juno Award-nominated songwriter, and playwright. He has published one work of poetry, To Love a Palestinian Woman: Poems (TSAR Publications, 2010), from which his poem “To kill a Suicide Bomber” was selected.

David W. McFadden has published numerous works of poetry, fiction and travel. His collection of poetry Be Calm, Honey was a finalist for the 2009 Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry and his book Why Are You So Sad? was shortlisted for the 2008 Canadian Griffin Poetry Prize. The poetry fragment was selected from the poem “Night of Endless Radiance” in his book Why Are You So Long and Sweet (Insomniac Press, 2010).

Don McKay has published numerous works as well as ten collections of poetry. His poetry has won two Governor General’s Literary Awards for Poetry and has been shortlisted twice for the Griffin Poetry Prize. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem “Precambrian Shield " in his collection Strike/Slip (McClelland _ Stewart, 2006), which on the 2007 Griffin Poetry Prize.

Steve McOrmond has two published three collections of poetry. His first Lean Days was shortlisted for the Gerald Lampert Award while his second Primer on the Hereafter received the 2007 Atlantic Poetry Prize. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem “The Good News about Armageddon” in his newest The Good News about Armageddon (Brick Books, 2010).

Anne Michaels has written three books of poetry and an award-winning novel titled Fugitive Pieces. Her poetry works have received the Commonwealth Prize for the Americas, the Canadian Authors Association Award and have been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry and Trillium Award. The poetry excerpt was taken from the poem “What the Light Teaches” in her poetry collection The Weight of Oranges/ Miner’s Pond (McClelland _ Stewart, 1997).

Jacob McArthur Mooney is known as an editor and writer of fiction and drama, and has also written two works of poetry. In 2006 he was shortlisted for the CBC Literary Award in Poetry. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem “Riddles for Lester B. Pearson International Airport” in his second book Folk (McClelland _ Stewart), which will be released in March 2011.

Daniel David Moses is an award-winning playwright and has published three collections of poetry as well as a CD of poetry, River Range, Poems. Aside from numerous awards for his plays he also received the 2001 Harbourfront International Authors Festival Prize and the 2001 Harold Award for his writing. The poetry excerpt was taken from his poem “Inukshuk.”

Motion is a writer, musician and spoken word poet. She has published two collections of poetry her first titled Motion in Poetry and her latest 40 dayz. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem titled “connect the t.dots” in her collection 40 dayz (Women’s Press, 2008) which won the first annual CBC Poetry Face-Off.

Michelle Muir writes and performs customized poetry for different events across Canada and the United States. The poetry taken from her 2009 book of poetry NuffSaid, is also the name of Muir’s spoken word entertainment business.

Michael Ondaatje has published four novels as well as many works of poetry. He is the recipient of two Governor General’s Literary Awards for Poetry. He also received the Booker Prize, Irish Times International Fiction Prize, the Giller Prize and the Priz Médicis. The poem “Tin Roof” from which the poetry excerpt was selected, can be found in his book The Cinnamon Peeler (McClelland _ Stewart, 1992).

Joanne Page has three published works of poetry: Watermarks, Persuasion for a Mathematician and The River and the Lake. The poetry excerpt from her poem "From the Hitherto Unpublished Journals of Miss Byrdie T., Inveterate Traveller and Champion of Lost Causes" was selected from her newest book Watermarks (Pedlar Press, 2008).

Alison Pick has written four works of fiction and poetry. She is recipient of the Bronwen Wallace Award for most promising Canadian poet under the age of 35, the National Magazine Award for Poetry and the CBC Literary Award for Poetry. The poetry excerpt used was selected from the poem “The Hinterland” in her collection The Dream World (McClelland _ Stewart, 2009).

Anne Simpson has published three works of poetry and two novels. She is recipient of the Gerald Lampert Award, the Atlantic Poetry Prize, the Canadian Griffin Poetry Prize, the Bliss Carman Poetry Award, the Pat Lowther Award and was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry. The poetry fragment was taken from the poem “Grassprayers” in her collection Quick (McClelland _ Stewart, 2009).

Sue Sinclair has published three books of poetry. Secrets of Weather and Hope was a finalist for the Gerald Lampert Award and Moral Arguments was a finalist for the Atlantic Poetry Prize. Her work has also been nominated for the Pat Lowther Award. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem “Drought” in her latest book Breaker (Brick Books, 2008).

John Steffler has published works of fictions as well as seven books of poetry and was Parliamentary Poet Laureate of Canada from 2006 to 2008. He is recipient of the Smithbooks/Books in Canada First Novel Award, the Newfoundland and Labrador Poetry Prize and the Atlantic Poetry Prize. The poetry fragment was selected from the poem “On a Lawn Chair at Night” in his book The Night We Were Ravenous (McClelland _ Stewart, 2009).

Souvankham Thammavongsa has written two books of poetry including the award-winning Small Arguments. She has also received the CAA/Book Television Emerging Writer Award. The poetry fragment was taken from the poem "Thermometer, A Diagram Of" in her latest book, Found (Pedlar Press, 2007).

Paul Vermeersch has published four collections of poetry and has contributed to the Toronto poetry scene as poet and editor of Insomniac Press’ poetry imprint 4:AM Books. His poetry collection Burn was nominated for the Gerald Lampert Award. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem titled "The Formation of the Pack" in his most recent The Reinvention of the Human Hand (McClelland _ Stewart, 2010).

Jan Zwicky has written five books of poetry and numerous other works of fiction. Her latest collection Thirty-seven Small Songs _ Thirteen Silences was shortlisted for the 2004 Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry and won the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. The poetry excerpt was selected from the poem “Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, Op. 115” in her collection Songs for Relinquishing the Earth (Brick Books, 1998),which won the 1999 Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry.