Arrows of Desire
Michael Dennis launches Arrows of Desire.
Time and Place: October 19 at 8:00 pm. Venus Envy, 320 Lisgar St.
_________
One of the great things about blogging is its immediacy. The downside of course, is the lack of time for bloggery reflection. Poetry should be allowed to sink in. Period. However, I must jot down here and now the fact that Michel Dennis' reading was just beautiful. As he was reading the many pieces from Arrows of Desire I was wondering if there were any duds. You know, poems that either just did not work or felt flat. Each poem he read aloud was, indeed, better than the last. He delivered each one as a polished and cherished, deeply felt piece of work. The readings were honest and sincere, erotic and funny. And even as I write this post there is an irony to the poems and how I feel poems should be read.
I still believe that there should be reflection on the reader's part - the irony is in the content. Most if not all these poems are very much 'of the moment' and especially the lustful moment. Sex is rarely planned (that's an understatement) and there is often little time for reflection "in the moment", therein lies its excitement and the passion. This reading was easily a highlight of book readings I attended this year. Very glad I went. His book should be on the top of your list to pick up and digest at your leisure. The full title is very playful, Arrows of Desire: Eros of Desire: A Rose of Desire: Lust Poems, as are the simple linocut illustrations by artist Eliza Griffiths. Because you may see yourself in these poems, it is wonderful.
Be sure to also read rob mclennan's August 2006 essay on Micheal Dennis here. rob wrote the foreword to Micheal's collection This Day Full of Promise: Poems Selected and New (Fredericton NB: cauldron books / Broken Jaw Press, 2001). Additionally, see the May 19th 2006 comments written by David Scrimshaw if you need any more convincing. Amanda Earl also wrote about Micheal's All Those Miles Yet To Go this past January 2006.
Time and Place: October 19 at 8:00 pm. Venus Envy, 320 Lisgar St.
_________
One of the great things about blogging is its immediacy. The downside of course, is the lack of time for bloggery reflection. Poetry should be allowed to sink in. Period. However, I must jot down here and now the fact that Michel Dennis' reading was just beautiful. As he was reading the many pieces from Arrows of Desire I was wondering if there were any duds. You know, poems that either just did not work or felt flat. Each poem he read aloud was, indeed, better than the last. He delivered each one as a polished and cherished, deeply felt piece of work. The readings were honest and sincere, erotic and funny. And even as I write this post there is an irony to the poems and how I feel poems should be read.
I still believe that there should be reflection on the reader's part - the irony is in the content. Most if not all these poems are very much 'of the moment' and especially the lustful moment. Sex is rarely planned (that's an understatement) and there is often little time for reflection "in the moment", therein lies its excitement and the passion. This reading was easily a highlight of book readings I attended this year. Very glad I went. His book should be on the top of your list to pick up and digest at your leisure. The full title is very playful, Arrows of Desire: Eros of Desire: A Rose of Desire: Lust Poems, as are the simple linocut illustrations by artist Eliza Griffiths. Because you may see yourself in these poems, it is wonderful.
Be sure to also read rob mclennan's August 2006 essay on Micheal Dennis here. rob wrote the foreword to Micheal's collection This Day Full of Promise: Poems Selected and New (Fredericton NB: cauldron books / Broken Jaw Press, 2001). Additionally, see the May 19th 2006 comments written by David Scrimshaw if you need any more convincing. Amanda Earl also wrote about Micheal's All Those Miles Yet To Go this past January 2006.
posted by John MacDonald at
Thursday, October 19, 2006
1 Comments:
We were sad to miss the launch, but just purchased the book at least. I've also written on Michael Dennis' poetry in the January 2006 edition of the Ottawa Poetry Newsletter
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