Description
Since the beginning of his poetic career in the 1990s, derek beaulieu has created works that have challenged readers to understand in new ways the possibilities of poetry. With nine books currently to his credit, and many works appearing in chapbooks, broadsides, and magazines, beaulieu continues to push experimental poetry, both in Canada and internationally, in new directions. Please, No More Poetry is the first selected works of derek beaulieu.
As the publisher of first housepress and, more recently, No Press, beaulieu has continually highlighted the possibilities for experimental work in a variety of writing communities. His own work can be classified as visual poetry, as concrete poetry, as conceptual work, and beyond. His work is not to be read in any traditional sense, as it challenges the very idea of reading; rather, it may be understood as a practice that forces readers to reconsider what they think they know. As beaulieu continues to push himself in new directions, readers will appreciate the work that he has created to date, much of which has become unavailable in Canada.
With an introduction by Kit Dobson and an interview with derek beaulieu by Lori Emerson as an afterword, Please, No More Poetry offers readers an opportunity to gain access to a complex experimental poetic practice through thirty-five selected representative works.
Reviews
A solid cross-section that serves as a strong introduction to the poet's writings, as well as to concrete poetry generally (given the density of beaulieu's work), the volume will handsomely reward readers seeking to broaden their conceptions of what poetry could be.
- Jonathan Ball, Winnipeg Free Press, March 23, 2013, 2013 May
Brilliant compilation.... beaulieu has written and edited many books and has self-produced hundreds of smaller ‘items’ through his publishing houses. It speaks to the marginality of this form of [conceptual] writing that he is not better known. Perhaps this excellent introduction to his oeuvre will begin to undo that disservice.
- Jay Smith, Alberta Views, November 2013, 2013 December
An engaging cross-section that offers beaulieu's longtime readers a chance to revisit and rethink his practice while offering new readers an opportunity to explore a variety of innovative linguistic tactics.... By re-orienting beaulieu's politics ... Please, No More Poetry becomes a more engaging book than a simple celebration of an author's work and accomplishments. It becomes a vital and engaging crossroads where ... seemingly opposing sociopolitical fronts can meet and battle it out.... A crucial collection that not only looks back on a brilliant career, but looks toward the future of the medium itself, offering a sampling of innovative writing strategies and seeking a place for poets that is relevant, valuable, and meaningful in the contemporary world.
- Eric Schmaltz, Lemond Hound, June 13, 2013, 2014 April