KFB 2018 PICKS

Contrary to what cannot be found in a country’s major newspaper, it was a great year for poetry, Canadian and elsewhere.

What do I read/look for? Did the work accomplish what it set out to do? Does it surprise/delight? Stay with me? As a publisher/programmer the measure is “if this is the one thing we did, well done.”

KFB published four beautiful chapbooks and a stunning broadside (from Dale Smith’s SONS, 2017). Our spring bouquet of ROXANNA BENNETT, JOHN ELIZABETH STINTZI, and LAUREN TURNER were nothing shy of inspired, and KATE SUTHERLAND’s glorious BEASTS of the SEA. A very good year.

In chapbooks, nothing has delighted me more than discovering the creative work coming from Calgary publisher KYLE FLEMMER, and Anstruther has more titles I’ve enjoyed then can be mentioned here, EVAN JONES’ Cavafy poems, JM FRANCHETEAU’s HEART & MOUTH & DEED & LIFE and their Manifesto Series (edited by SHANE NEILSON) with terrific offerings by JOHN NYMAN and JOHN BARTON. Well done.*

Here’s a few that kicked ass, with a decided slant towards Canadian. If there was one poem that tore me a new one, it’s CACONRAD’s Glitter In My Wounds. And Dominique, your debut will stay with me forever. Thank you.

KFB KIRBY’S PICKS

TERRENCE HAYES TO FLOAT IN THE SPACE BETWEEN WAVE

DOMINIQUE BERNIER-CORMIER CORRESPONDENT ICEHOUSE POETRY

ERIC SCHMALTZ SURFACES INVISIBLE BOOKS

ANNICK MACASKILL NO MEETING WITHOUT BODY GASPEREAU

RICHARD SCOTT SOHO FABER & FABER

AIDAN CHAFE SHORT HISTORIES OF LIGHT MQUP

NORMA COLE FATE NEWS OMNIDAWN

RYAN ECKES GENERAL MOTORS SPLIT LIP PRESS

HOA NGUYEN (GUEST EDITOR) BEST CANADIAN POETRY IN ENGLISH 2018 TIGHTROPE BOOKS + JIM JOHNSTONE (EDITOR) THE NEXT WAVE: AN ANTHOLGY OF 21ST CENTURY CANADIAN POETRY ANSTRUTHER

LINDA FRANK DIVIDED WOLSAK AND WYNN

KLARA DU PLESSIS EKKE PALIMPSEST

CACONRAD WHILE STANDING IN LINE FOR DEATH WAVE

ALSO NOTABLE: NEIL SURKAN ON HIGH MQUP MARK TRUSCOTT BRANCHES BOOK*HUG A.F. MORITZ THE SPARROW ANANSI KAREN MAC CORMACK RECHELESSE PRATTICQUE CHAX DIONNE BRAND THE BLUE CLERK M&S CATHERINE LALONDE (trans OANA AVASILICHIOAEI) THE FAERIE DEVOURING BOOK*HUG AMANDA JERNIGAN YEARS, MONTHS, DAYS BIBLIOASIS NASSAR HUSSAIN SKY WRI TEI NGS COACH HOUSE GARRY THOMAS MORSE SAFETY SAND TALONBOOKS TANIS FRANCO QUARRY UNIV CALGARY PRESS DAVID JAMES BROCK TEN-HEADED ALIEN WOLSAK AND WYNN CHRIS BAILEY WHAT YOUR HANDS HAVE DONE NIGHTWOOD EDITIONS

CHAPBOOKS

SACHA ARCHER TSK OOMPH INSPIRITUS PRESS

CECILIA STUART ADRIAN KIVA MUDROOM ANCHORAGE PRESS

KHASHAYAR MOHAMMADI MOE’S SKIN ZED PRESS

SARETTA MORGAN FEELING UPON ARRIVAL UGLY DUCKLING PRESSE

TRAVIS SHARP SINISTER QUEER AGENDA ABOVE/GROUND

S. BROOK CORFMAN METEORITES DOUBLECROSS PRESS

RASIQRA REVULVA IF YOU FORGET THE WHIPPED CREAM, YOU’RE NO GOOD AS A WOMAN GAP RIOT

SHELLY HARDER REMNANTS BASELINE PRESS

VAISHALI PALIWAL LION’S TOOTH ON MIGRATING CHESTS THE SOAP BOX

AMANDA EARL JOHN THE BLASTED TREE

PAOLA FERRANTE THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF BUFFALO BILL ANSTRUTHER

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*I must also note, some recent Brick Book titles just came out that I’ve haven’t gotten to, but will, with relish.

Corrections: It’s Shelly Harder (not Sally, forgive!) and I’ve added Chris Bailey’s powerful debut. Kb