Celebration of People's Poetry founders at Parliament St. Library

When Canadian icon and original Canadian People’s Poet Milton Acorn was passed over for the Governor General’s Award for his 1969 collection I’ve Tasted My Blood, several of his peers, including Margaret Atwood, Pat Lane and Mordecai Richler, established the People’s Poetry Award, which they presented to Milton at a ceremony at Grossman’s Tavern in Toronto in 1970.

When I’ve Tasted My Blood was re-issued in 1978 by Steel Rail Publishing, Milton wrote corrections and edits for the new edition on a copy of the original book. Milton Acorn: The People’s Poet reproduces that copy of I’ve Tasted My Blood with Milton’s handwritten notes, offering readers an intimate look into the work of one of Canada’s most important poets. Also included are never-before-published photographs of Milton taken by Kent Nason, a studio recording of Milton reading many of his poems and a 1971 documentary film about Milton Acorn made by Kent Martin and Errol Sharpe.


Errol Sharpe is a publisher at Fernwood Publishing. He holds an ma in Atlantic Canada Studies from Saint Mary’s University and is co-author of In Pursuit of Justice: Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op and the Fair Trade Movement.




Continuing Chesterton is a collection of essays on People’s Poetry which goes well beyond the conventional territory of literary criticism to produce a fascinating set of perspectives on the nature of Canadian identity.  It offers a case study of the cultural crisis of the ‘gnostic’ culture of late modernity.


Terry Barker studied political theory and philosophy at McMaster and Oxford Universities, and taught Liberal Arts at Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Toronto.  He is the author of After Acorn:  Meditations on the Message of Canada’s People’s Poet (1999) and Beyond Bethune:  People’s Poetry and Milton Acorn’s Metaphor for the Canadian Fate (2006).



With poetry by Anna Yin, and music by Tom Smarda.



Pat Connors
4163916746
6472718610

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report on evening to Mary Hooper, Milton Acorn's sister and literary executor:
June 23/15
 
Hi Mary,
Unfortunately I was unable to attend the double launch featuring Milt last night in Toronto. I did have a long phone chat with Terry Barker this evening, who told me the event was a real success and a tribute to Milt & his poetry. A number of old CLM comrades showed up, including of course James Deahl, who will likely report to you personally on the evening, and Olino Cappaccione (spelling?). Of course Errol Sharpe and his son were the other presenters, with their film on Milt.

Terry said he'll write you in a couple of weeks when he returns from his trip to New York to care for his sick and elderly aunt. Terry was very positive about the evening, and he wanted you to know how pleased he was with the turnout at the Parliament Street Library. There is a real legacy of People's Poetry associated with the Parliament St. Library, as this is where Ted Plantos ran his Cabbagetown Poetry Readings for many years. When I founded the Main Street Library Poetry Series in the late 1970s/'80s, also in east end Toronto, it was as a continuation of Ted's legacy.

Oh, Terry said the film was highly enjoyable, and perhaps a more thorough, honest and down-to-earth tribute to Milt than the later NFB film. Damn! wish I could have been there to see it.

peace & poetry power!
Chris (Faiers) ... & Chase wrfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff!  (my shih-tzu on steroids)


p.s. Terry said things are still moving along (but slowly) with the Mosaic Press tribute book to Milt, ACORNucopia
p.p.s. Terry reported there's an article in the current issue of NOW magazine about the Waverley Hotel, with major mentions of Milt