At Mayday [link was via Chris] Mlinko lists her senses of the requirement of contemporary poetry including these characteristics (and I paraphrase):
– words that are slanted to the heavily sensory,
– partitioning details of perception instead of holistically plotted,
– indirect telling pushed as far as possible into loose associative, obscure connections/connotations,
– harsh, intense subjective narration that is personal/stylized, anti-sensical and anti-science.

Hardly seems like a compliment.

Elegantly simple didn’t make the cut. Nor did humor. Surprising insight. Sense of inevitability. Mystic to grounded dynamic is absent. Pop culture or dissent towards political peace, not mentioned. Maybe these are universals to poetry. The distinctions can cross genres of poetry from short forms to visual to lyrical.

To say modern art is not representational isn’t to deny that it uses color.

Labels never sit well with me. Categorical statement never do either. Like the one in the sentence before this one.

Curious at who Barbara Carey chose for Canada’s best 10 Canadian poets? (and their best work)

Haiku poets Philomene Kocher (Kingston) and Terry Ann Carter (Ottawa) will be facilitating a “Haiku Poetry and Beyond” workshop at the Wintergreen Studios education and retreat centre on Sunday, July 12 from 10 to 4.

The morning will focus on crafting haiku with an opportunity for one-on-one tutorials. The afternoon will focus on making small books and collage to showcase your poems.

Wintergreen is approximately an hour from Kingston and 2 hours from Ottawa. Overnight accommodation is also available. For details and registration, contact Wintergreen Studios at (613) 273-8745 or their website: http://www.wintergreenstudios.com./Haiku.php

Pierre DesRuisseaux, poet, editor, translator and authority on Quebec popular culture, has been named the new parliamentary poet laureate and took office this week. In the tradition of bilingualism, the poet laureate for this 2 year term is French. He has 14 books of poetry since his first in ’79. Hopefully as Poet Laureate, DesRuisseaux will make his time in office, an active one.

The post was created by Parliament in 2001 to promote literature, culture and language. The position includes composing poetry, especially for state occasions, sponsoring poetry readings and advising the parliamentary librarian on acquisitions.

[The news came to me via Patrick Miekle’s writers’ news list]

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