Which other poets apart from Leonard do you read?

[Mark A. Murphy]

Hi All,

I love Leonard's poetry but know little or nothing about Canadian literature. I have read many American, British, Irish, European and Latin American poets but only Leonard Cohen and Michael Ondaatje from Canada. Perhaps some one could enlighten me about Canada's great poets? I also wonder which other poets Leonard Cohen fans read?

[Sebby]

I'm a big fan of Pablo Neruda. I also love Barry Dempster, who is an up and coming Canadian poet. I just keep rereading his latest book...it's fantastic. I also love the Beat poets. Kerouac's poetry is, in my opinion, the best that the Beat generation had to offer...but there is a lot of great Beat stuff. William Carlos Williams is also worthy...what I find incredible about his stuff is that he often wrote a poem between seeing patients...often on the back of prescription pads...so he was limited in space. Hence, a lot of his poetry is short and succinct. A great poet, indeed.

[margaret]

Another great Canadian poet you can look for is Irving Layton, sadly now deceased.

[Sebby]

Yes, Layton was a fantastic poet...and friend to Cohen.

[lordbyron]

I like Lorca a lot. I read him a lot many years ago, then later learned of his influence on Leonard, 'take this waltz', his daughter's name, etc. I like reading Lorca out loud. I also like Roethke, the romantic poets, Edmund Spenser, and Robert Bly.

[vern.silver]

If your interested in becoming familiar with Canadian poetry, I would suggest getting a copy of "15 Canadian Poets x 3" edited by Gary Geddes. In this book you will find 45 poets with brief biographies including Cohen,Layton, A.M. Klein, and F.R. Scott.

This is the link at Indigo Books:

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/15- ... op+Sellers
Vern

[Sebby]

Thanks for the suggestion...I'm really into discovering Canadian voices at the moment. I'm gonna check this one out. Thanks.

[Manna]

I don't get into a poet just because of the place where s/he chanced to be born, at least not yet. The only well known poet I've read well enough to feel at all competent in discussing is our Leonard. But others I've read at least a bit without disappointment include Ted Kooser, Billy Collins, e.e. cummings, Ezra Pound & Robert Frost. Elizabeth Bishop wrote one called The Fish that I like a lot - it stayed with me. But I haven't read anything else of hers. Nothing too obscure there. ha ha. Also, Lynn Doiron and Maggie Wilkie are friends of mine who are fine, struggling poets. So there's some obscurity knocked down.

[Sebby]

I usually don't consider origins of writers or poets...but recently I've been reading a lot of Canadian stuff...just trying to understand the landscape better, as I am a Canadian writer and poet myself. I'm finding some great stuff that I would not have otherwise found...if I had not been looking for it. In our libraries...there are little Canadian flags on the spines of all the Canadian books. I never looked at them before. I like that I am discovering Canadiana right now...

[Mark A. Murphy]

Dear vern.silver,

Thanks for the advice, I shall certainly look for the anthology you suggest. I have placed poems in many countries in the past few years, but have only had one poem published in Canada. Perhaps the Canadian Editors don't favour English poets, or maybe, just maybe, my poems don't resonate with a Canadian audience. I would like to redress this imbalance in the future, by trying to understand or become more familiar with the poetic landscape in Canada.

[linda_lakeside]

Margaret,

I came across an Irving Layton book just yesterday, out on my second hand book hunts, and he's becoming as hard to find as Leonard. The only LC books readily available are his novels and Stranger Music - in poetry, only BOL is easy to get. So, should anyone find an LC book of poetry, GET IT! No matter the cost. I can't remember the Layton book's title, but it was one very slim volume of some years ago. I'll try very hard to get as many of his as I can, as well. He is/was a truly amazing poet.

And yes, there are many very good Canadian authors now in both poetry and prose. I did manage to get Susanne Vega's book of poetry (again, the title is buried in my subconscious), and I believe the interview with Leonarad is included - excerpts at least. Canada is so diverse in culture right now, that there is a wonderful diversity of books/music. I'm loving the Indian prose, but haven't found much in way of poetry. I guess it doesn't translate easily. It's a treasure hunt, out there.

Now that all of Leonard's old records have been re-released for the wee sum of $10.00 per, it's time to replace the scratched and crunched. I doubt that there'll be such a plethora of LC music out there again.

In keeping with the thread, I like Bukowski, Neruda, and am just becoming interested in Alan Ginsberg. I've not been a poetry 'collector' until recently - and it's a world so large in imagination and talent. How I wish I had enough life left in me to start over again, with the knowledge I currently have - then go from there. What a collection of books, music and art I'd have then. That's life. It's cruel brevity in which we can only scratch the surface of all that we learn to love.

See you all,
Linda.

[lizzytysh]

Dear Linda ~

This was such a lovely post you wrote. And this...

That's life. It's cruel brevity in which we can only scratch the surface of all that we learn to love.

So true...

You look so goddessian in that gossamer gown... when you have the time and inclination, please think about joining us in The Goddesses [that ChiGoddess Damellon, Goddess Christine, Goddess Madonna, and Goddess Manna ~ in alpha order], DemiGoddess [that's me], DemiGod [that's Michael], and Company [that's an assortment of folks] thread. As the only DemiGoddess [at this point] and sole support staff for The Goddesses, I'm not entirely sure yet if I'm at liberty to invite you there [but I think I am, so I'm chancing it].

Okay... now I return you to your Canadian poetry. I can imagine how books of Layton's poetry are now becoming rare... and Leonard's along with them.


~ DG Lizzy

[Manna]

Hey, Sebby. I hope I didn't put you on the defensive. It's happened before that I've passed judgment on myself and others think I am passing judgment on them too for doing the same thing. I hope you didn't take me that way. If you're enjoying reading the Canadians, then I'm happy for you.

[vern.silver]

I have a rather extensive collection of poetry - well over 200 books. I am fond of William Carlos Williams, Neruda, Ahmatova, Thomas Hardy, ee cummings, Dylan Thomas, etc. Among my favourite canadian (other than Leonard) is Al Purdy who passed away in 2000. I like Layton (I have a dozen of his books), but I think Purdy is a much better and more consistent poet.

Whenever I travel, I try to pick up something local - in New york, for instance during ther LC event I picked up several chapbooks and anthologies. There is a book store in Tronto (I can't remeber the name) that I frequent when I am there that sells poetry volumes by Local poets (many self published & chapbooks.)

April is National Poetry Month and many of the larger book sellers (Chapters) tend to have displays which I will often browse because they tend to be more accesible in regards to newer, younger poets. I tend to buy poets I am not familiar with based on skimming through their volume and reading one or two.

I guess I am a poetry junkie and it is unusual for a month to go by where I don't buy at least one book.

Vern

[Steven]

Hi All,

Many of the poets others have mentioned, I've perused or dipped a bit more into.
I'm a late bloomer when it comes to poetry reading and enjoy the sense of
discovery and the flow of one poet or theme leading me to other poets and
themes.

Linda,

I recently read up on Ginsberg and his works. I was amazed by the depth of his
intellectual capacity and reach, in addition to his creative output.