above/ground press: Lisa Robertson

The inaugural recipient of The C.D. Wright Award for Poetry [photo of C.D. Wright, above], established by the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, is Canadian poet and critic (and above/ground press author) Lisa Robertson. Holy congratulations!

As the press release opens:

New York, NY, December 20, 2017 – Foundation for Contemporary Arts (FCA) is pleased to announce a $1 million endowment gift from artists Ellsworth Kelly (1923-2015) and Jack Shear to establish an annual $40,000 C.D. WRIGHT AWARD FOR POETRY. The award will be made each year to a poet over the age of 50 whose work exemplifies Wright’s vibrant lyricism, seriousness, and striking originality. It will be one of the few, significant unrestricted poetry awards in the country. The inaugural C.D. Wright Award will be made to poet LISA ROBERTSON.

For more information, and to see the full press release, see the link here.

poorsong one
Lisa Robertson
$4

Day Opens on Water
You say the Water is not a Grave
Over the still mirror of Water
Love moves the Bright Shadows
Penetrates Borders

published in Ottawa by above/ground press
March 2017
a/g subscribers receive a complimentary copy

Lisa Robertson lives in the village of Nalliers (population 310), on the Gartempe River, which drains from the Massif Central into the Loire basin. This region is the historic border zone of old Aquitaine, also the ragged border zone of old Occitan, and French. The current economy is based on small scale agriculture, the building trades, a plastic bag factory, and under-the-table activities. She moved to the region in 2004; she began making chapbooks in the late 80s in Vancouver. Her most recent book is 3 Summers.

This is Robertson’s second title with above/ground press, after On Physical Real Beginning and What Happens Next (2012).

[Produced for Robertson's participation in Ottawa's 7th annual VERSeFest, March 21-26]

To order, send cheques (add $1 for postage; outside Canada, add $2) to: rob mclennan, 2423 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa ON K1H 7M9 or paypal at www.robmclennan.blogspot.com