some author activity: Barwin + Nećakov, Harder, Ebbitt, Koss, Adams + Pirie,

Gary Barwin and Lillian Nećakov have work from a collaboration-in-progress over at talking about strawberries all of the time, where Shelly Harder also has new work, and Pearl Pirie has new work, and Katie Ebbitt is interviewed; Zane Koss has a poem on the Chaudiere Books blog for National Poetry Month, ; Carrie Olivia Adams writes on her reading series, poetry, and biscuits over at LitHub; and Pearl Pirie has two new poems up at The Pi Review.

new from above/ground press: pinion, by Shelly Harder

pinion
Shelly Harder
$6

sparrow

wings shed night
feathers shred light
sparrow, won’t you stay?

stay, sparrow

leave me not where bulbs burn 
leave me not where screens beam 

draw me through the skin of night
dress me in rags of light

sparrow, stay

published in Ottawa by above/ground press
April 2026
a/g subscribers receive a complimentary copy

Shelly Harder is the author of remnants, intimology, and zero dawn. They hold a doctorate from the University of Oxford and live and write in London, UK.

This is Harder’s second above/ground press title, after zero dawn (2021).

To order, send cheques (add $2 for postage; in US, add $3; outside North America, add $7) to: rob mclennan, 2423 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa ON K1H 7M9. E-transfer or PayPal at rob_mclennan (at) hotmail.com or the PayPal button at www.robmclennan.blogspot.com

2022 NELSON BALL PRIZE LONG LIST : Hajnoczky, Harder, McKinnon + Weaver!

It is exciting to see four above/ground press titles (and three further above/ground press authors) on this year's longlist for the Nelson Ball Prize! Congratulations to all! Oh, and be aware that all four above/ground press titles on this list are still totally in print, yes? As the press release offers:

We're pleased to announce the Long List for the 2022 Nelson Ball Prize, as selected by our dedicated judges, Beverley Daurio and James McDonald. The judges read about 100 submissions of books, chapbooks, and ephemera, looking for the best in "poetry of observation" by a Canadian poet.

Stay tuned for the Short List! The winner will receive $1,000, thanks to our generous donors.

Here is the Long List of 10 titles, in alphabetical order by the poets' names:

Lines – Cameron Anstee (St. Andrew Books)

Undoing Hours – Selina Boan (Nightwood Editions)

wind – Guy Ewing (Puddles of Sky Press)

a grain of sand – Helen Hajnoczky (above/ground press)

Zero Dawn – Shelly Harder (above/ground press)

A Number of Stunning Attacks – Jessi MacEachern (Invisible Publishing)

Gone South – Barry McKinnon (above/ground press)

Rain's Small Gestures – Pearl Pirie (Apt. 9 Press)

Ghosthawk – Matt Rader (Nightwood Editions)

So/I – Andy Weaver (above/ground press)

new from above/ground press: zero dawn, by Shelly Harder

zero dawn
Shelly Harder
$5

once there was a kingdom in the clouds

 

I cannot go there now

 

my mother held me to her chest

 

and the stagger

 

of her breath

 

was the motion

 

that clawed open

 

the duration of things

 

sometimes I watch the stars and they belly dance

 

the moon slinks 

 

things happen

 

tinctures of gentle chaos

 

brutality  

 

bodies melt

 

severe dusk 

published in Ottawa by above/ground press
March 2021
a/g subscribers receive a complimentary copy

Shelly Harder is the author of intimology (Frog Hollow Press) and remnants (Baseline Press).

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 rob_mclennan (at) hotmail.com or the PayPal button at www.robmclennan.blogspot.com