David Seymour and George Murray in St. John's
Emerging Canadian Poets Give an Intimate Reading at Ship Pub, NL
May 20, 2009
Renowned Newfoundland poet Mary Dalton is not exaggerating when she thanks the small audience for "fishing for poetry rather than trout on this the first July St. John's has ever seen in May." She is about to introduce Newfoundland based poet George Murray to the stage and Mary, like everyone mulling around the Avalon Peninsula this Victoria Day weekend, can't resist commenting on the weather.
Newfoundland Based George Murray
Murray, wearing a head and face full of spicy red hair, also can't resist the temptation and claims to be "sweating like a pig" half way through his reading. The Rush to Here, the most recent book by George Murray, was shortlisted for the E. J. Pratt Poetry Award and is also shortlisted for the Atlantic Poetry Award
Murray informs us that he "promised himself a long time ago that he would not write the same book twice" and his new work seemed quite pointed in that direction. A poem titled Bush Fires, inspired by CNN's coverage of the Australian bush fires was especially moving with language concerning the melding of human flesh being both graphic and compassionate.
A collection of humorous and succinct aphorisms also appeared a current preoccupation of Murray's as he preceded to read possibly too many of them.
Panic is worry on a tight schedule.
Jesus of Aphorism, a grouping of thirty three, would have been sufficiently clever in demonstrating Murray's intelligence and thoughtfulness. An abundance of such aphorisms becomes confusing and tedious with the following morphing into the previous so to speak. All said, Murray portrayed himself as a down to earth young poet with a compelling and promising voice.
Toronto's David Seymour
David Seymour, a Toronto based poet visiting the rock for the first time, is best known for his first book of poetry Inter Alia. Recently, Seymour has completed a second collection of poems for Brick Books and was a finalist in the 2009 CBC Literary Competition.
Seymour, with coal coloured hair and beard, was quite a contrast to Murray. Never nervous, he took somewhat arresting poses between poems and appeared to be somewhat parched. At one point he commented on how he must appear a local beer advert as he drank a 1892 from Quidi Vidi Brewery.
The poems, though undeniably well crafted, sometimes felt like a fifth year philosophy syllabus. There were bold lines like “spurned hips and joints” though, unfortunately, there were also predictable lines where reverent first guitars were described.
The Leadbelly Poems
The semi-biographical prose poems concerning blues musician Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter were again chalked full of craftsmanship. The usage of Leadbelly's lyrics as a means of ending each stanza gave Leadbelly an opportunity to participate in the conversation in a lovely manner. The only problem being that Leadbelly's wonderfully distinct voice overshadows the voice of Seymour and leaves the audience more intrigued with the musician than the poet.
It will be interesting in future to see Seymour concentrate on Seymour and what he has to contribute to Canadian poetry as it is apparent there is a great modern talent there hidden under poems praising other great modern talents.
A Brace of Poets Reading at the Ship Pub, Solomon's Lane and was sponsored by Birch-Broom-in-the-Fits.
