Canadian Primal: Poets, Places, and the Music of Meaning

The Thinking and Singing poets, Dennis Lee, Don McKay, Robert Bringhurst, Jan Zwicky, and Tim Lilburn, are major voices in an era of ecological devastation and spiritual unease. Mark Dickinson's Canadian Primal explores the relationship between their lives and their writing, blending biography with literary analysis and drawing from meetings and correspondence with each poet. It reveals a musical intelligence and the importance of the land, reminding us that we can live on the earth in a different way, true to our defining experiences.

Format: Paperback / softback
Publication date: 18 February 2021
Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press

Over the past few decades, a group of writers has emerged as prominent figures in Canadian poetry, known as the Thinking and Singing Poets. This esteemed group consists of five talented poets: Dennis Lee, Don McKay, Robert Bringhurst, Jan Zwicky, and Tim Lilburn. Their diverse and thought-provoking work has become a powerful voice in an era marked by ecological devastation and spiritual unease. Through their innovative approaches, these poets offer fresh perspectives on addressing some of the most pressing issues of our time.

In his captivating book, Mark Dickinson delves into the intricate relationship between the lives of these poets and their writing. He explores the intersecting careers and friendships of these remarkable individuals, shedding light on the ways they learned from and challenged each other. Canadian Primal takes an unconventional approach, blending biography with literary analysis and drawing from extensive meetings and correspondence with each poet over many years. Through this meticulous research, Dickinson traces the people and events that inspired the creation of these important texts.

Dickinson's insightful journey reveals how each of the writers approached poetry as a way of being, and at the core of their poetics, he uncovers a profound musical intelligence and the unwavering importance of the land. Canadian Primal is a literary biography reimagined as an exhilarating adventure of the mind, body, and spirit. It is a testament to the power of storytelling and the ability of literature to transport readers to new realms of understanding and appreciation.

Ebullient, intelligent, and eminently readable, Canadian Primal serves as a reminder that we can live on this earth in a different way, true to the defining experiences of our lives. It opens our eyes to the vast possibilities that exist beyond our imagination, surrounded by meaning and presence that transcends our understanding. This book is a treasure for anyone who seeks to explore the rich tapestry of Canadian poetry and the profound impact of the Thinking and Singing Poets on the literary landscape.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780228005353