Poetry without borders
Matthew Firth
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Babstock : engaging "things" in civil dialogue
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Two literary giants-one Canadian, one British-share their ego-less point of view
Ottawa poet David O'Meara has lined up a stellar double bill for this Sunday evening with Ken Babstock and Simon Armitage. O'Meara is so chuffed about the event he feels in 10 or 15 years those in attendance Sunday will be able to say, "Yeah, I was there when Babstock and Armitage rocked Ottawa." So forget the hype about the upcoming Stones and U2 shows; Babstock and Armitage are the real deal.
These ain't no prim and flowery poets. Babstock and Armitage are bold voices who have breathed life into a nearly cadaverous poetry world by infusing new perspectives on contemporary experience into their work, and raw energy into laying words down on paper.
It's fateful Armitage will be in Ottawa. He's a Brit in Canada to help judge the Griffin Prize. O'Meara was able to get him out of Toronto and up to Ottawa for the reading.
Babstock is a Newfoundland-born, Pembroke-raised poet who has jumpstarted Canadian poetry with his razor-sharp language and fluid, diverse imagery. He's a well-known new star of the younger poetry set in Canada. Putting Babstock on the same stage as Armitage is the perfect mix, according to O'Meara. Both have shaken things up in their respective countries and they're both engaging, playful readers. Their two distinctive and provocative voices should knock the socks off those at the gig.
The event is dubbed Poetry Cabaret and is presented jointly by the Ottawa International Writers Festival and the Plan 99 reading series. O'Meara will host and promises "a great opportunity
to hear two poets on the rise. Plus it'll be fun as hell." LETS TALK ABOUT US
Babstock is the author of two collections: Mean (1999) and Days Into Flatspin (2001), both published by House of Anansi.
His debut, Mean, was the poetic equivalent of a brash, rookie boxer stepping into the ring and flattening the champ in the first round with a flurry of heavy, perfectly placed punches. That's how this book shook the oft-dour world of Canadian poetry. It's an explosive collection to say the least. And for it Babstock won the 2000 Atlantic Poetry Prize and the 1999-2000 Milton Acorn People's Poetry Prize. Days Into Flatspin shows Babstock more of a tactician than a puncher but it's a muscular book as well.
Babstock's work demonstrates his ability to take stock of the landscape and where we are on it. Local readers will recognize Ottawa and environs in the lines but Babstock's landscape is broad: Newfoundland to Vancouver Island and beyond.
What's more, his poetry is not self-obsessed and almost ego-less. There's a communal vibe wherein readers see themselves and nod their heads, recognizing circumstances and emotions. Read his poems closely: Babstock writes about "we" and "you" more than "I"-a refreshing departure from much of the naval-gazing dreck that passes for poetry these days.
Babstock's language is rich without being precious or inaccessible: "We can wreck a day on the shoals of ourselves." and "Us in the pitch of our storms." He makes imaginative use of points of view. In Days Into Flatspin there's a tragic poem about an old family variety store transformed into a soulless 7-eleven told from the point of view of the store. It's a simple yet creative shift in perspective and it fully convinces with lines such as, "I haven't slept since 1983."
O'Meara says Babstock has "An imagination that is singular-that's what sets him apart." You can add that his work is open, relevant, public and potent. Babstock's poetry isn't saddled with myopic trickery; it tells stories of collective experience, it is social poetry expressed beautifully, artfully and it hits and sticks.
A VETERAN COUNTERPART
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| Armitage : British powerhouse poet |
Armitage is almost Babstock's British counterpart except with more books under his belt. He too stormed the poetry world with his first aptly titled collection Zoom! published by Bloodaxe Books in 1989. Since then it's been a steady ascent for Armitage. He has published 10 books of poetry, two novels and two non-fiction books. Armitage has written drama and for radio. He's written film scripts, including the BBC2 production Drinking for England and Pornography: The Musical, a docudrama about the pornography industry produced by Century Films and Channel 4, a popular UK television channel. He was also commissioned by Channel 4 to write the millennium poem, broadcast on New Year's Day 2000. Despite this diversity, poetry remains Armitage's bread and butter. O'Meara says Armitage's appeal stems from his talent for turning "pub talk into poetry." Like Babstock, communal experience is front and centre in poems about mechanics topping up brake fluid, mussel farmers, and taking the piss out of the rich at tennis, golf and fisticuffs. Armitage writes with humour, compassion, verve and, above all, authenticity. There is no sense of detachment, no highbrow degree of separation.
Sunday night Armitage will read from his latest book The Shout: New and Selected Poems recently published by Harcourt.
Poetry Cabaret offers two dynamic poets. And, hell yes, it just might be fun after all.
KEN BABSTOCK: A SHORT INTERVIEW
XPress What're folks going to hear from you on Sunday?
Ken Babstock Poems from Days Into Flatspin and poems from a new collection that deal with the old problem of consciousness-except with laughs.
XPress What are the details on the new book?
Babstock It will be in English. It will be called Airstream Land Yacht.
XPress There's a distinctive, fresh edge to your poetry. Are you pushing Canadian poetry somewhere?
Babstock Off its bike. Into a snow bank.
XPress Does Canadian poetry need to be pushed somewhere?
Babstock No, it's just I wasn't raised so good.
XPress There's a clear physical element to some of your poems-back alleys to backwoods. Why is the landscape and the things on it so integral?
Babstock It (the landscape) is where we live, like it or not. And "things" have yet to open a civil dialogue with us. I like to point to their obstinate silences.
XPress Your poem about building a deck is first rate. Is writing about work/labour important to you? Why?
Babstock I'm tempted to get all Marxist on your ass, Matt. I think everyone, no matter what kind of work they do, are forced to question the value of that commitment and its effect on their inner lives. The deck poem could be a metaphor for the production of Art. Drudgery, low pay, power tools, right angles, deforestation, etc. Sound like fun? It is!
Poetry Cabaret
Featuring Ken Babstock, Simon Armitage
Sunday May 29 at 7 p.m.
Library and Archives of Canada
395 Wellington Street
| Poetry Without Borders......... |
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This Sunday, You'll Hear Simon and Ken
They'll read from their works in a style that is o-pen
One's a Newfie from Pembroke, the other's from the UK
One speaks of Mean, the other of decay
They may mince words but that's still ok
Described as Poetry without any Borders
One is taller and the other is shorter
Babstock has an imagination that is singular
Armitage has more books written and is more particular
Poetry is important for both of these men
A large audience may make this happen again
So get your tickets and stand in line
Poetry is special and worth your time
David O'Meara is to be thanked for this coup
He made a promise and bit off what he could chew
Now, the scene is set and the mics are turned on
Ken and Simon hide just beyond the apron
Talking is what they both do best
They'll read from their works and clutch their chest
They'll look to you for your support
And read your reviews in the Express report
Poetry is alive and well they say
If not for literacy, their works would remain
On the shelves and still in boxes
But lucky for them, people take notice
Reading their work and spreading bagels with lox (es)
Poetry is the fabric of society
Words given meaning by poets carefully
Choosing thoughts that appeal to large masses
Delivering lines in community centres and classes
Once these poets are gone
Their words live on
For other centuries to have an opinion on
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Steve Landry
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{35 votes}
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I have a soft spot in my heart for poetry. For many years I have been writing poetry and it makes me feel so good when I do. The expresions that can be put down on a piece of paper is so releasing to me. So when I read the arcticle on these two great poets, I was really interested and since have looked up information on these two talents.
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Louise Lacroix
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{2 votes}
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I love poetry...Doesn't matter what the subject is... as long as it's well written. Unfortunately it's not that easy to find good poets but these two seems pretty interesting. I'm definitely going to try to find out more about their poetry! It was a great interview!!
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Roxane Gibault
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{9 votes}
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Far too long has gone on without a real mention of such a beautiful art.
Poetry is an underrated art form that is well deserved of such recognition.
Not only is it an honour to have Ken Babstock reading his thoughts, but to also have Simon Armitage is nothing short of spectacular.
This show should get a good attendence so long as the mass/media know that the poems aren't going to be about love and flowery "pretty" pictures in the minds o fthe listeners. No, this poetry will be raw and emotional, and really make you think about what it is that you want to do with these thoughts being placed before you.
This will definately make for a good listening to.
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Jeremy King
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{4 votes}
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