Ms. Lyric's Poetry Outlaws

Fraser Valley poet who wrote about India and Canada and died in 2009. And was an elegant effervescent life force!

1904-1995. Bon vivant, mountaineer, experimentalist, life force of a poet. Thanks Earle!

In which I chat with a poet I’ve known a long time. From England! On the couplet, sound in poetry, being wild, sexuality, a parental death, publishing and audience, the arrogance of the young and the maverick world of art!

What does community mean to you as a poet? Why do you write? Are you only interested in what you get paid, awards, accolades? Why does one do interviews or reviews or host events? I am wondering. Today, I wonder.

1917-2004. Poet, translator, scholar and social worker. A fierce creator. Personal memories, a bio and her poem Mechanics for Women!

A two-parter with this People’s Poet from Toronto on form, mental health, reading, early poetic development, politics, publication, old school submission procedures and love for the art. And he recites a haunting ghazal. Thanks Robert!

In which he recites his poem “How to be a Canadian Poet” and then I read his bio, some review excerpts and a few messages. I um too much for once and get a bit emotional at the end but it’s all well meant. Thanks Dave.

1926-2013 Vancouver poet and bon vivant of being fully alive. Reminiscences and a reading of At the Pornographer’s.

1917-2009. Eventual Vancouver poet who had more than a few words to say about not growing old, about painting, and most of all, about her prized roses. I read her poem The Lack. And I wish I still had that photo of her posing so regally in a red gown!

A ghazal-like chat with the Ontario poet about grief (and with an emotional reading of his pantoumn), forms, the importance of translation, reviews and reading series, poets like Steve Heighton and M Travis Lane and process. Complete with sniffling, barking dogs, and a few cars and planes ;) Enjoy!

I still can’t believe he died two days ago. 1961-2022. Here are my memories, segments of him singing and reciting, fragments of my tour diaries and emails from him, of his texts and my review. Bits of a beautiful life devoted to art. Made with love. Thank you always Steve

(1940-2001) poet and creator from Newfoundland. I recollect a difficult reading from him near the end of his life, tell you a bit about his bio and recite a poem The Dance of the Mayflies. Thanks Al.

Truly an energetic Zoom chat, the longest yet, with this Toronto poet. About grief, publishing different genres, the importance of a good editor, tentacles and fountains, the organic core, Stafford and Dickinson and Gluck and age and auralities. Chock a block full of this and more and so much laughter!

Find this poet’s books!! She is worth it. Thanks environmentalist, writer and warm as a seal human :)

1938-2003 peripatetic poet supremo. I talk a bit about his life, when I heard him read, share a few critical reflections and recite his famous piece Ride off any Horizon. Happy Birthday Dad.

In my first Zoom interview, I converse with Travis Lane from Fredericton NB about everything from Elizabeth Bishop to the war, from the importance of being able to learn to howl like wolves to how Canada radically lacks saints. And first, she recites the poem Rich Autumn (along with a few childhood ditties!) I laugh and gush too much but there you have it. She’s 87 and an amazing force :)

For Ellen. Who died on March 16 at 77 and who was a fabulous human and committed poet and lovely presence in the world. Thank you.

In homage to Joe Rosenblatt’s third passing away day, the final elegy in The Art of Losing. Passage yes. And Beauty. Gone and yet forever. See you in Season Five outlaws.

Ok I’m sick but I’m still recording this second to last piece in The Art of Losing and one of my fave poets, Mr Merrill. Whose Last Words are beautiful.

I went to a show. It was amazing. Except the writing. Why? Cliche. Why do we accept this in our art making. I say nay. A writer’s job is to refresh the language so one can feel again. And do. I bring in definitions and a bit of a draft and Pound and Frost. It could go in many directions. Here’s a start.

Happy international Women’s day! Herewith a poem on gratitude and the senses and reality from The Art Of Losing and a poet we lost too soon.

This atheist-earthiest still loves this god poem by the nutty Cummings and his typographical jolliness. And it was a day like that for me today. Giving thanks by a fire pit under a blue sky. Includes a 1953 recording of the poet reading the piece himself. Yes.

Enjoy this curmudgeon librarian and his too true poem about the lies of nature’s renewal as I bumble about trying to explicate rhymes ;) From the Redemption section of The Art of Losing.

Boy it’s a challenge to talk about form and rhythm schemes! At any rate, here’s a reading by the poet himself, me nattering and then reciting it too. One of the most mysterious villanelles. Last elegy in the section on Recovery (loathe that word!) in The Art of Losing.

I blather a bit here as sometimes happens when I’m trying to trace deeply embedded rhythms but yes, the shifting tones, the deeply human beauty of dying at just the right time and not malingering.