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Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
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Brian Purdy |
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Portraits in Black Ink
Brian Purdy will soon release his much anticipated 3rd collection of poems, Black Ink Portrait with Big Pond Rumour Press (2007). This volume represents the end of several decades of hiatus from publishing his work in book format.
Brian is a prolific writer, and a well-respected workshop leader. He was host of Phoenix: A Poet's Workshop in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the early 1980s. The workshop members also founded the now famous AxleTree Coffee House in the belief in the belief that poetry's age-old oral tradiition needs modern renewal. Yet, while he continues to do poetry readings occasionally he has not given much priority to the publishing of his work until now. Brian is the son of the iconic figure of Canadian Poetry, Alfred Wellington Purdy (deceased 2000) and Ila Purdy (nee Bachelor; later: Berg). Born in Belleville, Ontario, he was raised in small town Ontario and was a long-time resident of Toronto. He now lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia where worked for a time at Veith Street Gallery. He is curator of the Pedway Picture Gallery for Creative Spirit East, a not-for-profit co-operative of thirty-five artists with disabilities.
Brian runs a small rare books store in Halifax, called Books Down the Alley. He is also co-owner of a web-based book-shop through ABE Books.com called Seaspearsbooks. Brian became a Contributing Editor for Big Pond Rumour, The Zine beginning with the Winter 2007 Issue. Follow this link to a Globe & Mail article about Brian. |
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Tell him you saw this page at Big Pond Rumour.
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May Minnows
Minnows, swift and thick, in sunlit water chase their shadows above the rocks. A fisherman chews a cigarillo light brown in a darkly-golden face.
His tackle slants across the water tracing lines through olive light while tiny fish in the moving channel flee the shade of the fisher-god.
His rod and reel do not protect them through the dark and weedy trench; Too small yet for him to want them Yet they fear their circumstance
Will they know, when they are larger They must flee before his hook? Or will they simply not remember How his shadow struck and shook?
Lifting out a foot-long swimmer Grinning while he bites his smoke, The fisher-god secures his dinner Meets my eye, rebaits his hook. |
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Born of Woman
Only one I loved. Her name was Queen of Lies. I languished in the groves that sprang between her thighs.
Each morning when I woke I spoke aloud my names: Prince of Mincemeat Pies; King of Self-made Pain.
I whispered to my bones; they answered with a crack. No man woman-born should stoop to break his back.
I asked it of the crow I asked it of a rock Should I stay or go? They left me on the rack.
I walked a rocky shore and found a cirque of green a fair and ferny place to meet an honest queen.
I lay me on the ground although the sun was bright. Before I fell asleep she stepped into my sight: a woman made of light yellow, red and white she's given me a name The King of Dreams Tonight. |
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A member since July 2006.
All text © Brian Purdy. All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced without written permission from Brian Purdy. |
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Forthcoming:
Black Ink Portrait. (Fall 2007, poetry) Big Pond Rumour Press, Acton, Ontario, Canada.
Chapbooks:
A Poet’s Garden of Pointers. (March 2007, poetics) Big Pond Rumour Press, Acton, Ontario, Canada.
Strips. (1986, poetry chapbook) Letters Bookshop, Toronto, Canada. *long out of print
Books:
Interloper. (1978: prose) Three Trees Press, Toronto, Canada. *long out of print
To Feed the Sun. (1976, poetry) Three Trees Press, Toronto, Canada. *long out of print
Vinyl L.P.
The Lion and the Lady. (2001, re-issued on CD.) Unidisc Records.
The Lion and the Lady. (1973) Daffodil Records, Toronto, Canada. An album of songs with Joe Probst, singer-songwriter. Two poems and several of the lyrics are by Brian Purdy.
The Lion and the Lady. (1976, sheet music) Love Lies Bleeding Music |
