five christmas ideas #4

Year four of my CanPo promotion project has arrived, Canada (you can read the last three years' entries here, here, and here), but I haven't arrived with it. I'm still in Zambia, where I've been living, or preparing to live, for half of 2012. Because of this, my poetry consumption rate has dipped a bit, and my access to books for rereading/cost-per-poem-breakdowning has dropped precipitously.

This year's list, then, is extremely biased, poorly researched, relatively uninformative, and based on my vague rememberances of how a poem or two or three reached out and grabbed me during the course of my 2012 reading. In other words, it will be more or less the same as all the other lists. Enjoy!


I see my love more clearly from a distance by Nora Gould, Brick Books, 2012

Who's Nora Gould? She's a Canadian poet. This is her first book. You can learn more about her here. Also, I interviewed Nora earlier this year, and you can read that here.

A "Canadian Poet", eh? That's not good enough anymore. Let's do this up "Canada Reads: Turf Wars" style! Oh, ok. She's from Alberta. Goooo Alberta!

Where is your copy of this book currently located? It's packed into a liquor store box in a storage locker in East Vancouver.

What do you remember about reading the book? I remember how engaged I was, and how curious. How pulled into the foreign (to me) world that the author was creating. I remember its heart-ache and its vast landscape, and the ways they intersected. I remember at the end putting the book down and sitting there for quite a while not saying or doing anything, just taking the whole thing in.

Does one of the poems stick out in your mind? Preferably one that's been posted online... There are many that stay with me, and they built on one another. "Thank You for Seed Catalogue" is right up there, and holds up well in isolation.

Earworm by Nick Thran, Nightwood Editions, 2011

Who's Nick Thran? A Canadian poet. This is his second book. You can learn more about him here.

A "Canadian Poet", eh? That's not good enough anymore. Let's do this up "Canada Reads: Turf Wars" style! Ok, well, it seems he's lived out West, and in the Maritimes, and in Toronto, as well as other places *gasp* outside Canada. But he won the Trillium award this year, so I think that means that Ontario has officially locked him down. Goooo, Ontario!

Where is your copy of this book currently located? It's packed into a liquor store box in a storage locker in East Vancouver.

What do you remember about reading the book? Reading this book was like riding a skateboard in a car park. No, it was like iPhone-bumping with Michelle Obama. No it was like being a lazer shot out of the mouth of a robotic shark.

Ok, only one of those was actually said about Earworm, though I wouldn't be surprised if the others where considered at some point. For me, reading Earworm felt like reading a good book of poetry. I remember thinking that lost amid all the discussion of the "coolness" of this book's subject matter (for, and against, and somehow involving me) was the fact that Earworm is filled with good poems. The best of them hit the intellectual/emotional sweet spot dead on, so who really cares if they are about Power Rangers or snow falling in an empty woodlot?

If you don't like skateboards or Power Rangers, don't let that stop you from checking out this book. And if you like both them and poetry books, you are the coolest twelve year old ever...

Does one of the poems stick out in your mind? Preferably one that's been posted online... How about two? "Earworm" and "756".

All Souls' by Rhea Tregebov, Signal Editions, 2012

Who's Rhea Tregebov? A Canadian poet. This is her sixth book of poetry. You can learn more here.

A "Canadian Poet", eh? That's not good enough anymore. Let's do this up "Canada Reads: Turf Wars" style! She was born in Saskatoon, raised in Manitoba, then lived in Toronto and now in Vancouver... so let's say... Manitoba? Goooo, Manitoba!

Where is your copy of this book currently located? It's here in Zambia! I'm holding it right now!

What do you remember about reading the book? So much! And only in part because I didn't read it 6+ months ago. I remember the strength of the opening suite of poems on environmental collapse and how poignantly it mirrored the suite of poems on the slow death of a father. I remember her skillful use of language, including her ability to say things plainly when needed.

Does one of the poems stick out in your mind? Preferably one that's been posted online... A favourite of mine was "Labastide-Esparbairenque, France".

The Weight of Dew by Daniela Elza, Mother Tongue Publishing, 2012

Who's Daniela Elza? A Canadian poet. This is her first book. You can read more about her here. Also, I interviewed Daniela earlier this year, and you can read that interview here and here.

A "Canadian Poet", eh? That's not good enough anymore. Let's do this up "Canada Reads: Turf Wars" style! She's from Bulgaria via Nigeria. But she's only ever called BC home in Canada, I believe, so we get to claim her. Gooooo, BC!

Where is your copy of this book currently located? It's packed into a liquor store box in a storage locker in East Vancouver.

What do you remember about reading the book? Feeling like I was in dialogue with someone far wiser than myself, but no less welcoming because of it. A poet, yes, but also a philosopher, a traveler, and a parent. I remember at first stumbling over all the spaces and silences in the book, then coming to miss them greatly once I'd moved on to other books.

Does one of the poems stick out in your mind? Preferably one that's been posted online... "Past Hope" is pretty swell.

The Makings of You by Nii Ayikwei Parkes, Peepal Tree Press, 2010

Who's Nii Ayikwei Parkes? A Ghanaian poet. This is his first poetry book. You can read more about him here. You can also read a string of interviewsI did with him here.

A "Ghanaian Poet", eh? That's not good enough anymo... wait, what? Oh yeah. I cheated. I've been in Africa for almost a third of the year, so the least I can do is devote a fifth of this list to African books. But don't worry, Nii lives in the UK, so he's still got that Commonwealth thing going for him. Goooo, British Empire?

Where is your copy of this book currently located? It's packed into a liquor store box in a storage locker in East Vancouver. I hope they are all getting along in there.

What do you remember about reading the book? I remember how impressed I was by the way Nii blends global history with his personal history, which also pulled in Ghanaian history, allowing his "African" book to resonate with foreign readers. I also remember thinking what a shame it was that almost no one in my home country would ever read it because of... well... competitions (and "best of" lists like this one) that obsess on CanCon.

Oh, and he's got some pretty killer love poems in there, too.

Does one of the poems stick out in your mind? Preferably one that's been posted online... "Ayitey, 1973" is a great place to start.

That's all for 2012. See you in 2013, when I'll once again be living in the same city as my bookshelves!

five christmas ideas #3

Here we are at year three of my little CanPo promotion project (you can read the last two years' entries here and here)! As always, I'm looking to make this year's list bigger and better than the last. And what's hotter among the industry's best at moving product (GGs, Griffin, I'm looking at you) than a whiff of "conflict of interest"? As you'll see below, I've done my best to pack in some scandal (really I just picked my five favourite books I read in 2011, but let's pretend, ok?). I even developed a numerical system to make clear my biases and underhanded allegiances, because I am nothing if not generous to my detractors!

Enough preamble. Here are my suggestions of five new-ish Canadian poetry books for poetry fans and maybe-possibly-soon-to-become poetry fans alike:


A Doctor Pedalled Her Bicycle Over the River Arno by Matt Rader, House of Anansi, 2011

Matt Rader? Never heard of him. He's a Canadian poet, currently living in Salmon Arm (thanks for the update, Facebook nitpicker!). That said, he usually lives on Vancouver Island (thanks for the subsequent update, second Facebook nitpicker!). This is his third book of poetry. Here's more!

Does Doug Ford know this guy? Man, I'd look so dumb if he did and I didn't... No, I think you're safe.

What's so great about this book? Rader writes well-crafted, beautiful poems. As Ian Letourneau says, "Rader is a confident poet. There is no ponderousness here. The poems are direct, sure of themselves." The book really shines in its two sections that were previously published as chapbooks, Reservations and (especially) Customs, which explores the lynching of Louie Sam.

Ok, so the quality is there. But what about quantity? Am I getting good bang for my buck? It features 35 poems and costs $22.95, or a mere $0.66 per poem. Ok, to be honest, that's $0.16 cents more per poem than any book I've highlighted over the last two years. Anansi raised the price of their books by four dollars this year! But still, what would you rather buy for $0.66: a top-of-the-line Matt Rader poem or a Peruvian haircut? Ah, but before you answer, remember that the haircut cost excludes airfare. That's where the Peruvian barbers get you every time!

If I only have a minute in the bookstore, what one poem should I read? "Weeds", p. 47.

Should I buy this on Amazon? Please no. Here's a good reason.

What's in this for you? You promised me some juicy conflict of interest. We're from the same province? That's all I can think of. Oh, and Anansi is the only publisher that's had a poem on each of the three lists I've made. How I wish they were paying me under the table and/or I was owned by Scott Griffin, but it's just not true.

I'm not sure how outraged I should be by that answer. Can you compare that to another scandal, and rate it on a ten-point scale? The Griffin Prize's "Toronto/Anansi Bias" Thing, 2 out of 10 UZWs (Unimpressed Zach Wells').

Discovery Passages by Garry Thomas Morse, Talonbooks, 2011

Garry Thomas Morse? Never heard of him. He's a Canadian poet, living in Vancouver. This is his second book of poetry. Here's more!

Does Doug Ford know this guy? Man, I'd look so dumb if he did and I didn't... No, I think you're safe.

What's so great about this book? In Discovery Passages Morse blends his personal history, Kwakwaka’wakw history and legend, and the lives and acts of such controversial figures as Duncan Campbell Scott and Franz Boas into a powerful, sweeping, fierce (and often funny), suite of poems. Lorraine Weir thinks Discovery Passages should soon "find itself among the canonic texts of contemporary Indigenous and Canadian writing." I'm not big into sainthood, but I think it's a really good book.

Ok, so the quality is there. But what about quantity? Am I getting good bang for my buck? Discovery Passages delivers 30 poems for the low, low price of $17.95. That's $0.59 a poem, which is still more expensive than anything from the last two years, but looks pretty good next to Matt "Peruvian Haircut" Rader.

If I only have a minute in the bookstore, what one poem should I read? "BCP #95", p. 93.

Should I buy this on Amazon? Please no. Here's another good reason.

What's in this for you? You promised me some juicy conflict of interest. I know Garry personally. He let me read at his reading series last month. He's reading at mine next month. We tweet. I hope sales of his editions will reap largesse.

I'm not sure how outraged I should be by that answer. Can you compare that to another scandal, and rate it on a ten-point scale? The 2008 Governor General's Award Controversy in content, and The 2011 Governor General's Award Brouhaha in intensity, 6 out of 10 UZWs.

Where We Might Have Been by Don Coles, Signal Editions (Vehicule Press), 2010

Don Coles? Never heard of him. He's a Canadian poet, living in Toronto. This is his eleventh book of poetry. Here's more!

Does Doug Ford know this guy? Man, I'd look so dumb if he did and I didn't... No, I think you're safe.

What's so great about this book? It's Don Coles, in all his wandering loveliness. He's the king of the killer ending. Just when you think he's ambled way too far off track to be able to bring it all together, he pulls it off with one brilliant line. As Kenneth Sherman puts it, "It is difficult to think of another poet whose style is so unmannered, whose tone is so engagingly true." This may not be Coles' best work (he has a lot to compete with), but it's definitely his very-good work, which is still far better than just about anything else being written in this country.

Ok, so the quality is there. But what about quantity? Am I getting good bang for my buck? It's 16 (mostly long) poems for $18.00 or... wow... $0.88 a poem. Records are falling this year, it seems. Poetic inflation? Gone are the heady days of $0.16 John Newlove poems, that's for sure. Really though, $0.88 still isn't that bad. At that price your options are a long, "unmannered" Don Coles poem or an 88% meat Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme. I rest my case.

If I only have a minute in the bookstore, what one poem should I read? "A Walk in the Woods", p. 13.

Should I buy this on Amazon? Still no. Here's yet another good reason.

What's in this for you? You promised me some juicy conflict of interest. Absolutely nothing on this one. I guess you could say that the book should be disqualified because one of Coles' books was on last year's list. But I make the rules here and that's not one of them.

I'm not sure how outraged I should be by that answer. Can you compare that to another scandal, and rate it on a ten-point scale? The QWFLA "Actually, You've Already Got One" Incident, 0.5 out of 10 UZWs.

Undercurrents: New Voices in Canadian Poetry edited by Robyn Sarah, Cormorant Books, 2011

Robyn Sarah? Never heard of her. She's a Canadian poet, living in Montreal. Here's more. But the writing in the book is by eleven unpublished (in book form) poets, including Amanda Jernigan, Daniel Karasik and Sarah Feldman.

I have a feeling Doug Ford doesn't know any of them. Right? Right.

What's so great about this book? As I hinted at above for the Rader book, I'm a big fan of chapbooks. And this book is, in essence (and by design, according to Sarah's introduction), eleven chapbooks of poems by poets you might not have heard of yet, but will be hearing from soon. I'm used to anthologies of new poets being mixed bags, but there really aren't any duds here. Jernigan, Karasik, Feldman, George Pakozdi and Margo Wheaton stand out particularly, but on a different day I could probably list the work of the other six contributors as equally, or more, enjoyable.

Ok, so the quality is there. But what about quantity? Am I getting good bang for my buck? Undercurrents comes in at 90 poems for $24.00, or $0.27 per poem. It's the value pick of 2011!

If I only have a minute in the bookstore, what one poem should I read? "October" by Sarah Feldman, p. 22.

Oh c'mon, please say I can buy this on Amazon? Look, you can do what you want. But maybe read this first.

What's in this for you? You promised me some juicy conflict of interest. I promised it, and now I'm delivering! Robyn Sarah was the editor for my book (yes, I weaseled a link in somewhere - I knew I could do it!) and Cormorant is my publisher. What can I say? My tastes overlap with theirs a bit...

I'm pretty sure I should be enraged by that answer. Still, just to be safe, can you compare that to another scandal, and rate it on a ten-point scale? The 2011 Governor General's Award Squabble in content, and The 2008 Governor General's Award Embroilment in intensity, 9 out of 10 UZWs.

Winter Cranes by Chris Banks, ECW Press, 2011

Chris Banks? Never heard of him. He's a Canadian poet, living in Waterloo. This is his third book of poetry. Here's more!

Doug Ford doesn't know anyone, it seems. I've been wasting your time with this question, haven't I? Yup.

What's so great about this book? Banks writes long, clean, satisfying sentences (the first one in the book, for instance, rolls over seven lines and moves from friends in a car, to a blizzard, to a description of the local farmland, to the sound a radio playing "Stand by Me" over all of it). In some ways this is much like Don Coles, but Banks usually stays more fixed in an individual moment or object. As Nick Thran says, Banks is "a maestro with the poetry of physical objects, able to stack just the right amount of cordwood, or to jimmy open the basement window just enough to achieve the desired tonal effect." Because the lines run so smoothly and the subject matter is usually clear, tangible stuff, it's easy to breeze through this book. It's also very easy to return to it over and over again, pulling out new moments of pleasure and insight each time.

Ok, so the quality is there. But what about quantity? Am I getting good bang for my buck? Banks gives us 33 poems for $18.95, or $0.57 a poem. Undercurrents is a tough act to follow, but he's still got the best value of any of this year's single-author books.

If I only have a minute in the bookstore, what one poem should I read? "Darkening", p. 11.

But Amazon is soooo cheap.... Look, there's a Wikipedia page dedicated just to their controversies. And it has fourteen sections. And subsections. You're killing me here.

I'm still looking for more conflicts of interest! Spill it. I'm a big fan of Chris' blog (which he doesn't update nearly enough), though we've never met. We've exchanged a couple emails.

I'm not sure how outraged I should be by that answer. Can you compare that to another scandal, and rate it on a ten-point scale? The "Was This Supposed to be a Controversy? I Can't Even Tell Anymore" 2010 Governor General's Award, 3 out of 10 UZWs.

That's it for another year - thanks for reading!

p.s. If you can't get enough CanLit book recommendations, be sure to check out the Advent Book Blog.

five christmas ideas #2

A reliable source has informed me that my "Five Last Minute Christmas Ideas" post from last year generated at least one purchase of a book of Canadian poetry. A less-reliable source has informed me that my pick of Karen Solie's Pigeon as the first of my five recommendations was the deciding factor in last year's Griffin Prize jury deliberation. My sources, reliable or not, agreed that I should do it again this year.

Here, then, are some more suggestions of new-ish poetry books for poetry fans and maybe-possibly-soon-to-become poetry fans alike:

Paper Radio by Damian Rogers, ECW Press, 2009

Who’s Damian Rogers? A poet. A Canadian one. Well, if you consider Detroit to be "North Windsor", in the Journey-lyrics sense. And she's living in Toronto now, which makes her slightly more Canadian. The internet can tell you more.

What’s this book? Sell it to me like it's a Canadian movie. Hmmm... how about "Poems about Shakers. Wait, don't leave! They're really good. I promise!"

I'm a bargain hunter. Is this book a bargain? Well, there are 48 poems and the book costs $16.95, so you pay a mere $0.35 a poem. You tell me. (p.s. The answer is "Yes!")

When I'm in the bookstore considering my purchase, which poem should I read to seal the deal? “New House”, pg. 23.

Ok, I was lying in that last question. My plan was to Google the poem, then buy the book on Amazon. But I couldn't find that poem online! Got another one? "Dream of the Last Shaker", pg. 55. And also here, lazy.

Living Things by Matt Rader, Nightwood Editions, 2008

Who’s Matt Rader? A poet. A Canadian one, even if he lived in Oregon for a while. Still, Oregon's more Canadian than Toronto, so we shouldn't hold it against him. He's on Vancouver Island now. The internet can tell you more.

What’s this book? Sell it to me like it's a Canadian movie. Hmmm... how about "Poems about trees and plants. Wait, don't leave! They're really good. I promise!"

I'm a bargain hunter. Is this book a bargain? Well, there are 46 poems and the book costs $16.95, so you pay a mere $0.37 a poem. Yes, a bargain once again, it seems.

When I'm in the bookstore considering my purchase, which poem should I read to seal the deal? “Emergency Broadcast System”, pg. 49.

Ok, I was lying in that last question. My plan was to Google the poem, then buy the book on Amazon. But I couldn't find that poem online! Got another one? "The Great Mink", pg. 63. And also here.

But seriously, you should get out more.

Chameleon Hours by Elise Partridge, House of Anansi Press, 2008

Who’s Elise Partridge? A poet. A Canadian one, though I read somewhere that she's a Canadian-American dual citizen. Can't we just keep things simple, people? Anyway, she lives in Vancouver. The internet can tell you more.

What’s this book? Sell it to me like it's a Canadian movie. Hmmm... how about "Poems about chemotherapy treatment. Wait, don't leave! They're really good. I promise!" Man, no one is making this easy on me...

I'm a bargain hunter. Is this book a bargain? Well, there are 38 poems and the book costs $18.95, so you pay a mere $0.50 a poem. That's the cost of a local phone call from a pay phone (remember those?) - a pretty good bargain, if you ask me.

When I'm in the bookstore considering my purchase, which poem should I read to seal the deal? "Chemo Side Effects: Vision", pg. 22.

Ok, I was lying in that last question. My plan was to Google the poem, then buy the book on Amazon. But I couldn't find that poem online! Got another one? "Chemo Side Effects: Memory", pg. 20. And also here.

You're ruining your eyes staring at that monitor all day, you know?

The Essential Don Coles by Don Coles, The Porcupine's Quill, 2009

Who’s Don Coles? A poet. A Canadian one, though he's lived in London, Stockholm, Florence, Munich, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Zurich... oh I give up with this "Canadian" thing. Let's just say he lives in Toronto and move on with it. The internet can tell you more. And more about his "selector", too.

What’s this book? Sell it to me like it's a Canadian movie. Hmmm... how about "Poems about people, some of whom are Canadian. Wait, don't leave! They're really good. I promise!"

I'm a bargain hunter. Is this book a bargain? Well, there are 30 poems and the book costs $12.95, so you pay a mere $0.43 a poem. Plus the poems are selected from six earlier collections. There's no weak stuff here in Bargain City!

When I'm in the bookstore considering my purchase, which poem should I read to seal the deal? "Somewhere Far from This Comfort", pg. 40.

Ok, I was lying in that last question. My plan was to Google the poem, then buy the book on Amazon. But I couldn't find that poem online! Got another one? "Sampling from a Dialogue", pg. 15. You can also read it here.

How about first, though, you take a little walk around the block? You know, just to get the circulation going.

A Short History of Forgetting by Paul Tyler, Gaspereau Press, 2010

Who’s Paul Tyler? A poet. A Canadian one. Ottawa, even (he's not messing around). A number of his poems are set in Baltimore, but that might only mean that he's been watching The Wire... The internet can't really tell you more, though you're welcome to give it a shot yourself.

What’s this book? Sell it to me like it's a Canadian movie. Hmmm... how about "Poems about trees and plants. Oh, and old people. Wait, don't leave! They're really good. I promise!"

I'm a bargain hunter. Is this book a bargain? Well, there are 49 poems and the book costs $19.95, so you pay a mere $0.41 a poem. Don Coles, you've just been undersold. Gordy Dodd is ashamed of you, Don.

When I'm in the bookstore considering my purchase, which poem should I read to seal the deal? "Adam Naming the Animals", pg. 9.

Ok, I was lying in that last question. My plan was to Google the poem, then buy the book on Amazon. But I couldn't find that poem online! Got another one? "Hungry", pg. 23. And also here.

Hopefully, though, you're already on your way out to the book store. I'd hate to think I was enabling your sedentary lifestyle by providing all these links. Don't disappoint me, lazy reader!

Want more recommendations? Vox Populist and Lemon Hound just offered some up as well. OR YOU CAN ALWAYS THINK FOR YOURSELF.

five last minute christmas ideas

Haven't thrown enough money at your loved ones yet? Here are some suggestions of new-ish poetry books for poetry fans and soon-to-become poetry fans alike: Pigeon by Karen Solie, House of Anansi Press, 2009

Who’s Karen Solie? A Canadian poet. A living one. The internet can tell you more. What’s this book? Y’know, poems. A collection of them. 39 to be exact. That seems like a fairly average number of poems. Will I get enough bang for my buck? Well, at $18.95, it’s $0.49 a poem. What a steal! Ok, but let’s say I’m in the bookstore and I only have time to read one poem to know if the thing is any good. What should I read? “Wager”, pg. 12. And how should I get myself in the mood for reading this poem? Drive to a bookstore in Regina to read it. But I'm too lazy to do that! Ok, you can listen to it here.

Pure Product by Jason Guriel, Vehicule Press, 2009

Who’s Jason Guriel? A Canadian poet. A living one. The internet can tell you more. What’s this book? Y’know, poems. A collection of them. 34 to be exact. That seems like a rather small number of poems. Can I really get enough bang for my buck? Well, at $16.00, it’s $0.47 a poem. So yes, definitely a steal. Plus, at 52 pages, if you are anti-social you can easily slip the book under someone's door, avoiding human interaction! Ok, but let’s say I’m in the bookstore and I only have time to read one poem to know if the thing is any good. What should I read? "Money is also a kind of Music", pg. 46. And how should I get myself in the mood for reading this poem? Listen to "Good Vibrations" 100 times in a row. I'm too lazy to do that, also! Ok, you can read it here, so long as you promise to read it 100 times.

Harmonics by Jesse Patrick Ferguson, Freehand Books, 2009

Who’s Jesse Patrick Ferguson? A Canadian poet. A living one. The internet can tell you more. What’s this book? Y’know, poems. A collection of them. 75 to be exact. That seems like a large number of poems. What a steal! That’s not a question. But yes, it is. At $16.95, it’s $0.23 a poem. Ok, but let’s say I’m in the bookstore and I only have time to read one poem to know if the thing is any good. What should I read? “Fallout at the National Gallery”, pg. 79. And how should I get myself in the mood for reading this poem? Before entering the bookstore, bash your head into the window while looking at the display books. Still too lazy! C'mon, help a brotha/sista out. Sorry, I can't find this one online. Get going!

Jailbreaks: 99 Canadian Sonnets edited by Zachariah Wells, Biblioasis, 2008

Who’s 99 Canadian Poets? That question is both strange and grammatically incorrect. They are Canadian poets. Living and dead ones. The internet can tell you more. Oh, and more on the editor, too. What’s this book? Y’know, poems. An anthology of them. Ok, mostly sonnets. I’m pretty sure there are 99. Let's assume there are 99 poems in this book. That seems like a solid number. Is it in fact a steal? Yes! At $19.95, that would be $0.20 a poem. Ok, but let’s say I’m in the bookstore and I only have time to read one poem to know if the thing is any good. What should I read? “Country Hotel in the Niagara Peninsula” by David W. McFadden, pg. 16. And how should I get myself in the mood for reading this poem? Spend at least an hour wandering lost, looking for the poetry section. If that isn’t enough, bump over a shelf or two. But that would involve me getting up and leaving the house... You're right. What was I thinking? Read it here, lardass.

A Long Continual Argument: The Selected Poems of John Newlove by John Newlove, Chaudiere Books, 2007

Who’s John Newlove? A Canadian poet. A dead one. The internet can tell you more. Oh, and more on the editor, too. What’s this book? Y’know, poems. A selected poems. 138 to be exact. Let me guess... with 138 poems this is also a steal? You got it! Even with a sticker price of $22.00, it’s a mere $0.16 a poem. Ok, now that fourth question I keep asking... Oh, the one about which one poem to read? I’d say “Driving”, pg. 175. And how should I get myself in the mood for reading this poem? Drive to a book store in Kapuskasing to read it. Oh hell, just read it here.