Encapsulating one’s thoughts and emotions into words can be as rewarding as it is daunting. Such rewards are monetary in the case of the bi-annual Montreal International Poetry Prize, a competition for poems of 40 lines or less, where the winning poet receives $20,000 and, along with 54 finalists, gets[Read More…]
Poetry
Literary theorist Jeff Dolven pays a virtual visit to the English department
On Jan. 19, the McGill English Department held its 2022 Spector Lecture, an annual event that highlights contemporary work in the literary field. This year, the department welcomed Jeff Dolven, a poet, literary critic, and Princeton professor of English. Later, students and faculty had a chance to hear several of[Read More…]
A modern approach to long-form poetry readings
Content Warning: Mention of suicide On Nov. 26, Concordia professors Jason Camlot and John Emil Vincent held a reading of their new poetry books, Vlarf and Bitter in the Belly, respectively. Hosted by English literature professor Katherine McLoed at Concordia’s 4th Space, the long-form reading was inspired by literary events[Read More…]
Looking back on Leonard Cohen’s legacy
Nov. 7 marked the fifth year anniversary of the passing of Leonard Cohen, a beloved singer-songwriter, poet, novelist, Montrealer, and 1955 McGill alum. Known for the depth and profundity of his work, the prestiged artist will continue to be commemorated by Montrealers, McGill students and staff, and fans around the[Read More…]
Thinking through race in anthropology through poetry
On Nov. 3, the McGill Anthropology Graduate Student Association (AGSA) organized the workshop Thinking Through Race with Ethnographic Poetry as part of an ongoing series on racism and racial justice within anthropology. Ethnographic poetry is a research method where anthropologists study an individual’s poetic works in an attempt to understand[Read More…]
Comedic, joyful, and sombre: ‘The Best Canadian Poetry of 2021’
Canadian poets, consistently overshadowed by American writers, rarely get the recognition their talents deserve. is A collection of 50 poems by Canadian poets, the Best Canadian Poetry 2021 anthology is curated by its guest editor Souvankham Thammavongsa, who has author of five books, including How to Pronounce Knife, and received[Read More…]
Mcsway takes a breath of fresh air at “Poetry in the Park”
Voices came alive at Jeanne Mance Park on Sept. 30 with Mcsway Poetry Collective’s first open-mic night of the semester, “Poetry in the Park.” Gathered around a tree strung with lights that acted as a stage, the audience sat on blankets, listening to poets valiantly share their words and their[Read More…]
It’s okay to spill your drink at Spilt Red Wine Poetry nights
During Montreal’s strict COVID-19 public health measures in January 2021, close friends Sophia Blackburn, U3 Arts, and Carol Altimas, U3 Science, longed for the intimacy and creativity of poetry nights. As a remedy, they started their own poetry group, “Spilt Red Wine Poetry.” Since its creation, writers and listeners alike[Read More…]
