Too Sexy for This Poem

Last thursday, Tightrope was in Montreal to launch the The Best Canadian Poetry in English 2008 edited by Stephanie Bolster (Molly Peacock is the series editor). Modeled after the American anthology, BCP promises to be an annual series. A.F. Moritz has apparently already been lined up as guest editor for 2009

This year, two Signal Edition poets got swept into the net. One made it into the longlist (Patrick Warner) where he stayed. The other slipped thorough: Jason Guriel, whose poem "Spineless Sonnet" was originally published in Maisonneuve. Guriel's second book, Pure Product, is slated to be published by us in Spring 2009.

BCP is a excellent anthology, with lots of arresting poems. My favorites at the moment are by Todd Swift, Jeramy Dodds, Michael Lista, Jeffery Donaldson, Craig Poile and Jim Nason. Almost as rare as the ability to write good poetry, is the ability to recognize good poetry. Stephanie Bolster clearly possesses both gifts.