Poet Founding Fathers: D'Arcy McGee and Jose Marti (topic for PurdyFest #7?)

Honourable Thomas D'Arcy McGee
Last Thursday evening Terry Barker and I got together at the Hanoi 3 Seasons Restaurant in Toronto to begin planning PurdyFest #7. We agreed an interesting theme would be a comparison of the 'founding father poets' D'Arcy McGee (Canada) and Jose Marti (Cuba). We both feel that the first six PurdyFests have covered a sufficiently wide range of Canadian People's Poetry, and that perhaps it is time to 'go more international' with the fests. Your input on this proposal appreciated. Terry is keen to present a paper on McGee, and we hope Tai Grove (President of the Canada-Cuba Literary Asociation - CCLA) and perhaps Lisa Makarchuk (of the Canada Cuba Friendship Society) would be interested in presenting papers on Jose Marti.  Thumbnails of the first 6 PurdyFests PurdyFest #1 evolved from a series of "Controversies" regarding Canadian People's Poetry organized by poet James Deahl and Terry Barker. PurdyFest #2 then logically focused on our namesake poet, Al Purdy. PurdyFest #3 had a haiku theme, and haijin Terry Ann Carter and Claudia Coutu Radmore led a renku session. Fest #4 focused on the legacy of Toronto People's Poet Ted Plantos. Special thanks to Kent Bowman and Mick Burrs. #5 focused on resurrecting the legacy of seminal Canadian poet Raymond Souster. This led to a widely attended tribute evening at Runnymede Public Library, Ray's home library branch. And the recent #6 focused on resurrecting and restoring the legacy of Canada's greatest poet, Milton Acorn. * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * ** * * * * Conrad DiDiodato has left a new comment on your post "Poet Founding Fathers: D'Arcy McGee and Jose Marti...": Hi Chris I love the new 'international' emphasis and the D'Arcy McGee/Jose Marti nexus. Congrats to you, Chris, for putting Cdn poetry on the map. I hope one day you'll write a sort of biography of the movement: which might turn into a sort of 'manifesto' text Canada-wide. My only concern is that Purdyfest not become too 'academic': discussion yes, and participation from everyone but I hope you'll avoid the temptation to go the "specialist"'s route, poetry for "experts" only. This is antithetical to the People's Poetry ideal. Posted by Conrad DiDiodato to Riffs & Ripples from ZenRiver Gardens at 25 August 2012 13:35 * * * * * ** * * * * * *  * * * * * * * * Thanks for the support, Conrad  :  ) The ideal person to write such a biography would be James Deahl, or perhaps a co-authorship with Terry Barker. No threat of PurdyFests becoming overly academic. The Symposiums (ia?) give the fests some focus, but as Anna Yin wisely noted, "PurdyFests are vacations for poets!" There's just too much energy from the Shield, from nature and nature spirits, from the collective energy of so many great Canadian poets just hanging out & reading together ( and of course the occasional magickal libation from the LCBO) to keep everything from getting 'too' serious. - Chris/cricket ... and Chase ... Wrfffffffffffff! * * * * * * * *   * * * * * * * * * * * * * Conrad DiDiodato has left a new comment on your post "Poet Founding Fathers: D'Arcy McGee and Jose Marti...": "PurdyFests are vacations for poets!" I like that! Posted by Conrad DiDiodato to Riffs & Ripples from ZenRiver Gardens at 25 August 2012 15:42 * * * * * * ** * *   * * * * * * * * * * first reaction. really? not a single woman did or said or was anything? Pearl Infinite Diversity, Infinite Beauty; Blog it all. http://www.pagehalffull.com/humanyms * * * * * * * * * *  * * * * * *   ** * * Interesting point, Pearl. Maybe we should do a Symposium on women People's Poets, starting with Dorothy Livesay. - Chris * * * * * * * * ** *   * * * * * * * * * email of Sept. 3/12 Dear Friends, I was honoured to be invited in on your discussions in regard to the suitability of Darcy McGee or Louis Riel at Purdyfest. It is an interesting dilemma and one in which the introduction of the potential of honouring Jose Marti bears consideration. I think if we were to ask Milton Acorn or Purdy himself they would have some pretty strong opinions, especially when it comes to McGee. I have been researching Riel for well over 25 years and although I have great admiration and respect for his work as well as his poetry I would be challenged to recommend him as a major subject at Purdyfest as his subject matter is largely religious and his political poems, word-plays are very often in French and dated in their connotations. In regard to McGee I am agreement with Katherine that he leaves a great deal to be desired politically especially if he is to be compared to Marti, and although he left behind a significant amount of poetry it too is dated and frankly maudlin. Purdy would be looking for youth and vigour, poetry to lead us into the future.  I am including a short booklet from my research into McGee & Riel, it is a follow-up to The Prophet and the Apostle of the New World, Louis Riel & Jose Marti, my tribute to two great revolutionary leaders of the Nineteenth Century. I have sent this work to Cuba and hope to have a Spanish-English version available for 2013. Warm regards from the Great NorthWest, and please feel free to share this e-mail with your CC list. David Doyle * * * * *  * **** * *** * ** * **** * * *