Like music to our ears

Whatever pleasure comes from hearing writers read their own work increases exponentially when the writers in question are poets, the best of whose recitations can sound like songs with secret, hidden notes.

The musical accompaniment might be missing, but tempo, rhythm and sometimes even melody can be detected when the authors, who are in a privileged position to know how the line is meant to scan, are also the performers.

It was with this anticipation that a packed house of 900 or so gathered Tuesday evening at the U of T's MacMillan Theatre for the annual Griffin Poetry Prize readings.

The program was divided into two segments. The works of Paul Farley, Rodney Jones, Charles Wright and Frederick Seidel (in absentia) were read during the first half, with readings by the three Canadian shortlisted poets, Ken Babstock, Don McKay and Priscila Uppal following an intermission.

One poet in each camp will receive a cheque for $50,000 when the Canadian and international winners are announced Wednesday night. Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer was on hand to receive a lifetime achievement honour, a surprise that seemed to please the poets onstage as much as it did the poetry lovers in the house. And there were a lot of poetry lovers in the house.

"It's marvellous to begin a reading by not having to say the words, 'I thank you both for coming'," joked Farley.

The audience, for its part, was demonstrably appreciative throughout. It was probably only a sense of decorum that prevented some fans from shouting out requests.

Vit Wagner

Comments

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It's a very good issue.
i didn't know there's such a Prize for poets before i read this article.
Thanks very much.
I know more about the word now.