Poetry
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Poem of the Year Shortlist
I’m very honoured to have two (two?!) poems on the 2017 shortlist for Poem of the Year by the editors of Arc Poetry Magazine. Arc is a consistently excellent, surprising, and diverse Canadian journal of poetry. I’m excited that these poems caught their eye, as well as to be in such stellar company. You can…
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Writing from the Barracks
Last year I was honoured to be selected as an Artist-in-Residence by the Fredericton Arts Alliance, which hosts a group of local artists each summer in the historic Barracks District of downtown Fredericton. For the week-long residency, I was paired with visual artist Allison Green, who that week was painting on silk. The theme of…
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Anthology of French-Heritage Women
I’m honoured to be included in a new anthology of writings by women of French heritage called, Heliotrope: French-Heritage Women Create. Assembled by Franco-American scholar Rhea Coté Robbins, the volume is being published in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the Franco-American Women’s Institute (FAWI) and includes the voices of more than 100 women, including…
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“From Away”: FAA Residency
In July I’ll be participating in the Fredericton Arts Alliance Artist in Residence Program. This year’s residents have been asked to address the theme “New Ground,” to explore notions of place and home. These are frequent concerns in my work, but being new to Fredericton, this theme is especially resonant for me at the moment,…
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New Poetry Reviews
My reviews of a handful of new Canadian poetry titles are up now at the Montreal Review of Books. This issue’s poetry coverage includes new collections by Carmine Starnino, Joshua Trotter, Ilona Martonfi, Margo Wheaton, and Michael Prior. My first goal in writing poetry reviews is always to encourage other people to read poetry. I…
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Profile @ Open Book Ontario
You can tell by the date of my last post (or I can, at least) that updating this site hasn’t been at the top of my list of priorities in recent months. But in the spirit of Patti Smith, I’ve been working: on new prose and poetry, some early sketches for a new play, my…
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On Writing and Parenting
I have been following admiringly the Ottawa Poetry Newsletter’s occasional series On Writing. Amanda Earl’s piece on using poetry to shepherd herself through a major health crisis lingered with me for weeks, and I identified with Faizel Deen’s thoughts on the writer’s isolation. Mostly, I have coveted the opportunity to contemplate why I write, too.…
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“Other Brief Discourses” Reviewed
My chapbook, Other Brief Discourses, was released earlier this winter by Ottawa’s above/ground press. It is a handsome little pamphlet of poems that imagine the return of Samuel de Champlain to the territory of New France in the present day, accompanied by a Franco-American guide. Now, its first review, by Ryan Pratt on Ottawa Poetry…
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Interview with Open Book Ontario
Today, in conjunction with the launch of my chapbook “Other Brief Discourses,” I’m featured on the website of Open Book Ontario. I recently participated in their new author interview series focusing on reading, which gave me the chance to talk about some books that I love. Since my recent posts have focused on themes related…
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Ottawa Launch of “Other Brief Discourses”
Today I take a brief reprieve from my usual posts on topics related to Piecework: When We Were French to remind Ottawa folks that I will be launching my chapbook of poems, Other Brief Discourses, with a reading this Friday night. The Factory Reading Series presents: Hugh Thomas Michael Blouin Brecken Hancock + Abby Paige…
ABBY PAIGE 