new from above/ground press: Certain Humans, by Ian McCulloch

Certain Humans
Ian McCulloch
$5

Epilogue

When I remember us, it is always in parameters of disaster.
A constant of tumult and pandemonium
like those bedlam days out west
when a spring storm spun the horizon
to red dust and driven snow.
Hundreds of power poles snapped off
and in the morning ice lay on everything
like a consecration bled out of the screaming wind.
Even the houses looked stunned
the light blown out from under
their certain roofs and the dispassionate heat
sucked from their arrogant walls.
For three days we huddled in the kitchen
around a battery-powered radio like refugees.
Clinging to staticky music and listening to stories
of catastrophe and survival.

We were always this way, thrown together
by circumstance and dubious rumour.
Intimate against whatever maelstrom
heaved its blunt fury our way,
like fistfuls of gravel pelting our sorry heads.
We shuddered close under a dark and improvident power,
the world going cold in every direction.
Hunkering down under something
we had no choice but to call love,
embarrassed when the sky cleared
and sunlight fell to catch us in the act.

published in Ottawa by above/ground press
January 2020
a/g subscribers receive a complimentary copy

Ian McCulloch (April 18, 1957 – September 23, 2019) was born in Comox, B.C. and raised in Northern Ontario. He was the author of three books of poetry: The Moon of Hunger (Penumbra, 1982), The Efficiency of Killers (Penumbra, 1988) and Parables and Rain (Penumbra, 1993), and a chapbook, Balsam To Ease All Pains (Alburnum Press, 1998). He was also the author of the novel Childforever (Mercury, 1996). A founding member of Northern Ontario’s longest-running reading series, “The Conspiracy of 3,” he read twice at Toronto’s prestigious Harbourfront series. More recently two of his poems were included in the anthology Tamaracks: Canadian Poetry for the 21st Century (LUMMOX Press, 2018). His writing was deeply influenced by family and his indigenous heritage. Ian was the father of three and lived with his wife and dog in Redbridge, Ontario.

This is McCulloch’s second above/ground press chapbook, after A Box of Light (2019).

To order, send cheques (add $1 for postage; in US, add $2; outside North America, add $5) to: rob mclennan, 2423 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa ON K1H 7M9. E-transfer or PayPal at at rob_mclennan (at) hotmail.com or the PayPal button at www.robmclennan.blogspot.com

some author activity: Caple, mclennan, McCulloch, Robinson, Unsworth + hanna,

Natalee Caple has a new essay in the my (small press) writing day series; Tim Atkins has recent work in Tentacular; rob mclennan has composed a poem for the late Ian McCulloch; forthcoming author Ben Robinson has some new work up at Train : a poetry journal; Lydia Unsworth is interviewed over at talking about strawberries all of the time; and natalie hanna has a poem included in the Poetry Pause series via The League of Canadian Poets (reprinted from Canthius).

new from above/ground press: A Box of Light, by Ian McCulloch

A Box of Light
Ian McCulloch
$5

Preamble to a Denouement


I woke this morning
in an empty house
and lingered
through the hours
in quiet spaces
with transitory
angles of illumination
and undulating shadow
then followed a voice
like the rustle of leaves
down a long hallway
with floors that seemed
to shift and warp
beneath each step
of my naked feet
and found daylight
was a different grief
in every room

published in Ottawa by above/ground press
October 2019
a/g subscribers receive a complimentary copy

Ian McCulloch (April 18, 1957 – September 23, 2019) was born in Comox, B.C. and raised in Northern Ontario. He was the author of three books of poetry: The Moon of Hunger (Penumbra, 1982), The Efficiency of Killers (Penumbra, 1988) and Parables and Rain (Penumbra, 1993), and a chapbook, Balsam To Ease All Pains (Alburnum Press, 1998). He was also the author of the novel Childforever (Mercury, 1996). A founding member of Northern Ontario’s longest-running reading series, “The Conspiracy of 3,” he read twice at Toronto’s prestigious Harbourfront series. More recently two of his poems were included in the anthology Tamaracks: Canadian Poetry for the 21st Century (LUMMOX Press, 2018). His writing was deeply influenced by family and his indigenous heritage. Ian was the father of three and lived with his wife and dog in Redbridge, Ontario.

A second above/ground press chapbook is forthcoming.

To order, send cheques (add $1 for postage; in US, add $2; outside North America, add $5) to: rob mclennan, 2423 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa ON K1H 7M9. E-transfer or PayPal at at rob_mclennan (at) hotmail.com or the PayPal button at www.robmclennan.blogspot.com

Ian McCulloch (April 18, 1957 – September 23, 2019)

Sad news just now from Gil McElroy, that poet Ian McCulloch has died, very suddenly. He was not only a poet I admired, but we had been talking for over a year about producing chapbooks, and even recently finalized the manuscripts for what would be two titles through above/ground press, the first mere days away from heading to the printer (his last email to me was on Friday, when he sent an updated author biography, and saying he'd be out of reach for the week, given they were going camping).

Gil sent along this short obituary:

We are heartbroken to announce that IAN PHILIP MCCULLOCH, husband, father, brother, son and dear friend to many, has Passed into Mystery, suddenly, at age sixty-two, while camping in Algonquin Park. Ian was a quiet but vital presence in the North Bay cultural community, being a founding member of the “Conspiracy of 3,” now in its thirty-first  year. He was the author of three books of poetry—The Moon of Hunger (1982), The Efficiency of Killers (1988) and Parables and Rain (1993)—and one novel, Childforever (1996). He was also the proud parents of Matthew (Skyler), Elena and Bobbie-Ann. Ian loved nature, canoeing, camping, hiking, reading, writing, music and the sport of Ringette. As well as his children, he leaves behind his “True Companion,” Laurie Kruk-McCulloch, writer and professor. A Celebration of Ian’s Life is planned for Sunday September 29th, 1-4 at Club 183 (183 First Avenue West, North Bay). Memories, stories and poems are encouraged. Donations to the Heart and Stroke Fund, or World Wildlife Fund, Canada, are welcomed by the family. “Keep Me in Your Heart for a While”—Warren Zevon