Overview
Taking Charles Olson's "Poem 143--the festival aspect" as its provocation and partner in conversation, Michael Boughn's City sets out on a voyage to explore the Three Towns central to Olson's poem and the Vedic myth that it responds to. Combining observations and commentary on current affairs with references to and considerations of traditional texts by Dante, Augustine, Fra Carnevale, Weber, Bachelard, Whitehead, Benjamin, Agamben, and a host of others, City weaves multiple threads together into a tapestry of urban experience that is always both here and beyond.
Book One: Singular Assumptions opens the journey with a tour of the first town's charms and attractions--a map that moves from bar to arena through a perennial traffic jam, while taking in the occasional parade and other digressions that only the City, with its infinite possibilities, can offer up.
Michael Boughn
Michael Boughn was described in the Globe and Mail as 'an obscure, veteran poet with a history of being overlooked by the mainstream.' His last book of poetry, Cosmographia - a post-Lucretian faux micro-epic (2011), was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award for Poetry.
Reviews
Praise for City: Book 1: Singular Assumptions
Michael Boughn's City isÉ explicit in its celebration of the urban as a pumping heart with architecture. Boughn approaches the Ôcommon' with an open language, knowing full well that some who share the space may not Ôunderstand.' His Walden is a full-canopied forest of neighbourhoods within and around which true solace is found, but only after much searching.
- Victor Coleman
Singular Assumptions (City, Book One) takes a bite out of the holism apple... and sows articulations of wiggle into the densest gridlocks of rigid city posturing.... Boughn sings for the potentials of life's flourish with soaring ripostes, the bittersweet paradox of rigour for jazz, and a congenial shrugging cheer.
- David Peter Clark
Boughn speaks as a combatant, always.... Take care, this book is signed by a barbarian....[with] a history of being overlooked.
- Oliver Cusimano
Reader Reviews
Tell us what you think!
Sign Up or Sign In to add your review or comment.
Related Blog Posts
May 24, 2022
Phoebe Tsang discusses the myriad influences - from Chekov to Sharon Butala - that went into her debut short story collection
Setting Fire to Water (Thistledown Press). We learn how the short story can be like a "perfectly seasoned hors d’oeuvre" and read an excerpt ... Read more
May 18, 2022
By: Geetha Sukumaran
In observance of Tamil Genocide Education Week in Ontario, translator Geetha Sukumaran shares a conversation with Tamil poet Ahlian (her translation of his book,
Then There Were No Witnesses, was published in 2018), about the Jaffna Clock Tower as a conduit of childhood ... Read more
May 13, 2022
Kelly Kaur's novel
Letters to Singapore (Stonehouse Publishing), brings to life Simran, who after a close escape from an arrange marriage, attends university in Calgary. The letters she writes to her mother, sister and friends reveal life is fraught with conflict, hilarity ... Read more
April 27, 2022
In today's instalment of Poetry Muse, multi-award-winning poet Keith Garebian shares the natural and human-made world outside his condominium window in his latest collection
In the Bowl of My Eye (Mawenzi House), as well as the poems "Study of Lake 1 & 2" from the book. ... Read more
April 23, 2022
Our next Poetry Muse featured poet is Andrew Faulkner and his collection
Heady Bloom (Coach House Books). He tells us how the book's muse is the big-size bottle of Advil Liqui-gels, inspired by a persistent headache, shares the "nostalgic millennial" music found amongst ... Read more
April 21, 2022
Today's Poetry Muse's featured poet is Salimah Valiani: activist, researcher, and author of
29 leads to Love (Inanna Publications). In our Q&A, Salimah shares how in her new collection she traces love in 29 different ways, and how her muse for this collection is al-jinn, ... Read more
April 20, 2022
Today's featured poet is debut author Michelle Lietz, who releases her first poetry collection
Occasionally Petty (At Bay Press). This poetry collection is perfect for all music lovers, as each of Michelle's poems begin with song lyrics. In our Q&A, she shares how her muse ... Read more
April 14, 2022
Today Lynne Sargent, author of
A Refuge of Tales (Renaissance Press) joins us on Poetry Muse. They shares why they like the liminality that poetry offers, why they describes their poetry collection as a terrible beauty, and which songs from the Lord of the Rings Musical ... Read more
April 12, 2022
Today on Poetry Muse we are joined by Michael Fraser, author of
The Day-Breakers (Biblioasis). He shares his night owl creative writing process, how lucky he was having James Deahl as his sagacious poetic guru, and a very detailed list of advice to aspiring poets.