Why Poetry Sucks: An Anthology of Humorous Experimental Canadian Poetry - Softcover

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1554831229 ISBN 13: 9781554831227

Publisher: Insomniac Press (CA), 2015

Synopsis

Despite a reputation for dead seriousness, poetry has a long relationship with humour, from Catullus' complaints to Chaucer's ribald tales to Kenneth Goldsmith's appearance on The Colbert Report. Focusing on our contemporary moment, this book scrutinises Canada's poetic avant-gardes for signs of humorous life. Moving deftly between entertainment, attack, and critique, this poetry makes us laugh while making us wonder why we are laughing at all. The authors draw from deep traditions in both poetry and comedy, often challenging the rigid literary and political impasses they encounter. In our current social and cultural game of Blockado (the game of barricades), humour can act as an important sledge, taking a swing at the institutions and ideologies we might wish changed -- all the while acknowledging, with bitter laughter and tongue in cheek, our apparent inability to change them.

About this title

About the Author:

Ryan Fitzpatrick is a poet and critic living in Vancouver, where he is working toward his doctorate in contemporary poetics at Simon Fraser University. He is a former editor of filling Station magazine and is currently co-director (with Chris Ewart) of the Hootenanny School of Writing. He is the author of Fake Math (Snare Books, 2007) and 21st Century Monsters (Red Nettle Press, 2012).

About this edition

• Publisher: Insomniac Press (CA)
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1554831229
• ISBN 13: 9781554831227
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 436