Governor General’s award winner for poetry comes to Malaspina

Poetry lovers will have several events to choose from at Malaspina University-College in the next few months.

Kicking off the very popular Poets on Campus series this year is Canadian poet John Pass, winner of the 2006 Governor General’s award for poetry, who will be reading at Malaspina’s Nanaimo campus on October 1. This will be the first of several readings to take place on the Nanaimo and Cowichan campuses.

“I love engaging with an audience at a reading,” said Pass. “A public reading is a natural extension of my writing process because I compose out loud, talking to myself, walking around getting the rhythm. I love the sound of language. I believe it’s one of the main elements and driving forces of poetry.”

Pass, who has previously published sixteen books and chapbooks, will be reading from his most recent work Stumbling in the Bloom, which won the Governor General’s award for poetry in 2006. The book tackles several subjects including the 9/11 tragedy and the entanglements of beauty.

“Stumbling in the Bloom is a summery book with dark shadows and a book about aesthetic responsibility. How does one live up to the beauty of the world? The idea of beauty as a measure of worth is one of the real issues of our time. It’s one of the big questions of our privileged society – what is beauty and what is our responsibility to it? Humans haven’t answered that question enough.”

When Pass won the Governor General’s award for Stumbling, he was thrilled to be acknowledged on a national scale.

“I was very surprised and honoured when I won,” said Pass. “The whole process was marvellous and I had no idea I would feel such pride at being Canadian and feel so honoured and celebrated. It was an amazing experience.”

Pass will be reading from Stumbling in the Bloom on October 1 at Malaspina’s Nanaimo campus on the fourth floor of the library (Bldg. 305) from 7 to 8:30pm.

Poets on Campus will also feature three other poets on the Nanaimo campus, including Audrey Thomas on October 29, Marilyn Dumont on November 5, and Baba Brinkman on April 8. Readings on Malaspina’s Cowichan campus will include F.B. Andre on October 1, Marilyn Dumont on November 6, John Barton and Rhonda Batchelor on February 12 and Cornelia Hoogland (date and time TBA). All readings are sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Malaspina will also be featuring several open mic poetry readings on the Nanaimo campus on October 15, November 19 and December 3. The open mic readings are open to everyone, with poets limited to 3 poems or 5 minutes of material (maximum). The readings will take place on the fourth floor of the library in room 474.

For more information about Poets on Campus or the open mic readings, please contact Sara Wilson, student poetry coordinator, at 753-0520, or visit the website at www.viu.ca/poetsoncampus