Here’s the link to the review written by Chris Fanning, literary maven and co-publisher of the Picton Gazette, Canada’s oldest community newspaper.
https://pictongazette.ca/post/poems-of-many-voices
“I welcome this serious and in depth consideration of my new poetry collection, the second one published by Aeolus House under my pen name, A. Garnett Weiss, ” JC noted.
The 60+ five-line, found poems each take words and phrases unaltered from death notices and obituary articles published in the Globe and Mail over a six year period.
“These poems are more about life than about death, even though the words originate with notices about people no longer with us, ” JC explained.
“When I know that a reviewer is focusing on my work, I await the comments with bated breath. The response to poetry is idiosyncratic, so personal to each reader. I recognize that what may appeal to one reviewer may not appeal to another.”
Chris Fanning’s take on Life, after life offers substantive analysis of and perceptive insights into the collection as whole as well as highlights his reaction to a number of poems, in particular.
“I thank Chris Fanning for his words which honour my work. I am grateful to The Gazette for giving Life, after life–from epitaph to epilogue such a fine reception.”
Copies of the book are available for purchase from this website and from these wonderful, independent bookstores: Books & Company (Picton), Perfect Books and Octopus Books (Ottawa) and Book City in the Beach (Toronto.)
A Toast for the new year and a ‘review’ of LIFE, AFTER LIFE
Season’s greetings!
JC welcomes feedback on her poems at this site. She just received these remarks from a careful reader of poems in Life, after life — from epitaph to epilogue:
“Hardly any poem could I pass without at the very least two reads…It’s a charge of depth and lightness. And the structures lend themselves to the contemplation of ephemeral lives in the context of the mystery of time, each with its wisp of complex experience.” EP, Montreal.
JC thanks EP for these discerning and positive comments.
From Life, after life, she offers this found poem in the hope readers will take up her call.
Splendid terms
Make a toast to those you love,
to one-of-a-kind places that meant the most
right down to the lawn chair.
Recall one act of disobedience, rarely-made
mistakes, holy like a startled forest animal.
Sources: April 20, 2017, notices in remembrance of: Earl, Ernst, Rosalind, Phyllis, Irit, Thomas, Derek, and Sylvia; and obituary articles, “Edmonton star won six Grey Cups” by Allan Maki; “Songwriter Sylvia Moy helped Stevie Wonde find his sound,” by Richard Sandomir, New York Times News Service.
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