I haven't seen my copy of this yet, but am very excited. It was presented to George at a birthday party for him recently, & somehow he had no idea it existed until it was presented to him! Happy Birthday, George.

Announcing

71 for GB: An anthology for George Bowering on the occasion
of his 70th birthday; mostly new works by friends, writers, poets and artists

Its a great game ask 71 writers, some from out of retirement, each to step up to the plate and deliver a short text on the occasion of Bowerings 70th birthday. What will they do reach for some nostalgia out of the strike zone? hit a zinger back through the box? work the words for a base on balls? swing mightily for the bleachers? pop up right out of genre? agonize over the last strikeout? You wont want to miss this one.

--Frank Davey

Profits from this limited print run will be contributed to the George Bowering scholarship fund. The George Bowering/Poet Laureate scholarship is given to a student graduating from George's old high school in Oliver, British Columbia. The student must have a demonstrated interest in writing and be a bit of a pain in the ass. The first scholarship was awarded in 2004.

130 pages, designed and printed by Coach House Press
$20 Canadian plus shipping
order from jeanbaird@shaw.ca


That 1935 miracle churns poetry

that 1935 miracle herds words like cats

marvel oozing syntax rolling

stones and homeruns over country.

--Suzette Mayr, from Reflections of George (or George Bowering, That Cream Soda)

You can hear George everywhere. Go to a ballpark, hes shouting at the umpire; go to a pub, he announces TFP (Traditional First Piss); go to a party or a reading, hes the loudest man in the room. No kidding. You cant miss hearing him even if youre a whole block away, or youre driving by Nat Bailey Stadium with your windows down.

You know what that loudmouth side of him does? It creates space around him so he can write his heart out. He jokes off his worst so he can write his best. He can hit a poem out of the park, slam a paragraph over the infield, and land a chapter that looks so easy that the centrefielder catches it with grace.

No one can strike his writing out. Theres a George rhythm to his work and play. Friends and readers sometimes have to stretch to catch a joke, but theres no doubt Bowering has balanced his life so he can compose books. More books than hes had birthdays--not bad, eh? He catches phrases and creates lines or sentences with glee. Deep love and consciousness also. Consciousness is how it is composed.

--G. Maria Hindmarch

CONTRIBUTORS

Margaret Atwood, Endre Farkas, Roy Miki, Margaret Avison, M. A. C. Farrant, Cath Morris, Douglas Barbour, George Fetherling, Erin Moure, derek beaulieu, Brian Fisher, Susan Musgrave, Ken Belford, Dwight Gardiner, Ken Norris, Tony Bellette, Goh Poh Seng, Charles Pachter, Charles Bernstein, artie gold, P. K. Page, Reg Berry, Hiromi Goto, Stan Persky, bill bissett, John Harris, Greg Placonouris, Christian Bok, Steven Heighton, Meredith Quartermain, Michael Boughn, G. Maria Hindmarch, Peter Quartermain, Marilyn Bowering, Robert Hogg, Margaret Randall, Thea Bowering, Reg Johanson, Jamie Reid, John B. Boyle, Kent Johnson, Lisa Robertson, Di Brandt, D. G. Jones, Spider Robinson, Brian Brett, Lionel Kearns, Renee Rodin, Nicole Brossard, Robert Kroetsch, Stephen Scobie, Colin Browne, Patrick Lane, George Stanley, Leonard Cohen, Red Lane, Anne Stone, Victor Coleman, Jason LeHeup, Sharon Thesen, Wayde Compton, Billy Little, Lola L. Tostevin, Dennis Cooley, Nicole Markotic, Will Trump, Pierre Coupey, Daphne Marlatt, Chris Turnbull, Greg Curnoe, Mike Matthews, Kate van Dusen, Frank Davey, Suzette Mayr, Aritha van Herk, David Dawson, Steve McCaffery, Fred Wah, Stan Dragland, David W. McFadden, Chris Walker, Phinder Dulai, Don McKay, Victoria Walker, Paul Dutton, Barry McKinnon, Phyllis Webb, rob mclennan.