First and foremost we have a biography of one of my personal favorites, John Newlove
and a poem by the man himself:
Why Do You Hate Me?
John Newlove
From: Apology for Absence: Selected Poems 1962-1992. Erin, Ontario: Porcupine’s Quill, 1993. p.145.
So you live of the sea;
and I am the dry acrid land.
You have the sweet fish swimming
and dull mannerly grain grows in me.
Your blood shines in curving darts;
I grow in calculated rows.
So I say I love you,
and you say, Why do you hate me?
I speak in a foreign language.
You don’t know what I say.
Check out my old stomping grounds at In/words press, the poetry magazine at Carleton University. Here is Issue 5.2 november 2005
Here is another great publication out of ottawa: Ottawater which celebrates ottawa poets. A brief introduction:
Founded to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the City of Ottawa, Canada’s glorious capital city, “ottawater,” and its chemical formula/logo “O2(H2O),” is a poetry annual produced exclusively on-line, in both readable and printable pdf formats, and found at (http://www.ottawater.com). An anthology focusing on Ottawa poets and poetics, its first issue appeared in January 2005, 150 years after old Bytown became the City of Ottawa.
Here is a link where you can download the publication
We cannot leave ottawa without thinking of Bywords.ca a great publication out of Ottawa, revived by Amanda and Charles Earl (and a whole selection committee that helps!) On the website you can read the current issues, back issues or find places to submit, chapbooks to purchase, etc.
Also check out the A B series, the performance and experimental sound/poetry group out of Ottawa started by max middle.
Another great reading series is the Dusty Owl group. Find out more here.
New and exciting events in reading include VERSEfest. Find out more info here
One of the readings series in Ottawa that a profound effect on me was the Tree Reading series. For more information click on this link
Know more Ottawa Links? Comment on this post!
To end, we’ll finish off with a poem by
rob mclennan from shampoo magazine issue number 36
”
it is true I have come inside
rob mclennan
I have a headache as wide
as the northern lights
is that canadian enough?
white wine I can’t drink
w/out frontal lobe knives
I was distracted from rapture
a snap in the sky like a tear
five minutes post-lightning
our culture been eaten to bare
small hands chew to one side
everything is illuminated
glowing tributes of storefront
like a renaissance chapel
, the cloud a low ceiling
the air on the street like a tomb”
and one final link to a poet I had the pleasure to help edit the chapbook of, writer Sean Moreland. Check out some of his poetry here in ditch poetry.
and a place to buy some of the things you’ve seen, Chaudiere Books.
For some visuals, check out these two guys:
and
in particular, his shots of versefest
and his photos of ottawa poet jw curry
okay, done. for now.
thanks ottawa.
