Measures of Astonishment: Poets on Poetry

The annual Anne Szumigalski Lecture Series, presented by the League of Canadian Poets, invites audiences into the minds of prominent Canadian poets as they discuss both the art and craft of poetry. This book collects the 11 lectures presented between 2002 and 2013 by notables including Margaret Atwood, Anne Carson, and Marilyn Bowering. The topics include personal encounters with poetry and poets (including a recollection by Mark Abley on Szumigalski), as well as discussions of form, genre, and the purpose of poetry in the modern world. Atwood defends the importance of poetry in “Why Poetry?” Elliott Clarke challenges the ethnocentrism apparent in attributing “value” to some poets over others in “Frederick Ward: Writing as Jazz.” Don McKay introduces readers to ideas of geopoetry, and A.F. Moritz writes of poetry as beauty and desire. Fans of Canadian poetry will find much to love, and the book will also appeal to those interested in concepts of Canadian identity, literature, and creativity. [em](May) [/em]