PoetLaureateLogo_02014 has been one heck of a year:

– on April 28th I was named Calgary’s Poet Laureate, an incredible honour. This position has helped me initiate a number of events and programs (some of which are still cooking and thus aren’t quite ready to be plated) which work to recognize, celebrate and build upon Calgary’s literary history and community. Huge thanks to Emiko Muraki, Christine Armstrong and all the amazing folks at CADA for their amazing work and dedication since April — and for all the ways that CADA helps the city’s arts communities.

– i have been lucky to have conducted readings at talks at Mount Royal University, The University of Calgary, Brock University (St.Catharines, ON), and Roehampton University (London, UK) and at public events in Lethbridge, Manchester and Calgary (sixteen events in Calgary alone this year). Thank you so much to all of the organizers, hosts, colleagues, freinds and audiences with whom i’ve shared these experiences.

– My students and colleagues recognized and awarded my teaching with the Alberta College of Art + Design Student Association Appreciation Award and the inaugural Robert Kroetsch Teaching Innovation Award from the Canadian Creative Writers and Writing Programs (CCWWP). Thank you. I was thrilled to share with students at Mount Royal, ACAD and at Wordsworth Teen Summer Camp (8 courses & the camp over the year)

– i’ve been lucky to have work published magazines, journals and books in Canada, the US, Germany, England and France and work included in gallery exhibitions in Canada, Austria, the Netherlands, England and the US.  I was also the first artist-in-residence in the Lightbox Studio in Calgary’s Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts (now the Arts Commons) – thank you Natasha Jensen for all the organizational acumen. My work was  projected on the side of the Calgary Tower and posted on billboards on Calgary’s busiest freeways thanks to the initiatives of Calgary’s Wordfest.

– Los Angeles-based press Les Figues published my latest volume of visual poetry, KERN, and for that i am incredibly grateful. thank you Andrew, Vanessa and Teresa.

– through No press I published 19 different editions of poetry and prose from international, national and local emerging and established writers. each book was meant to help spread the word of risk-taking work being written internationally. Thank you for trusting me with your work.

– lastly, i capped the year off with a trip to London with my family in order to defend my Phd dissertation in Creative Writing at Roehampton University under the supervision of Dr. Peter Jaeger and Mr. Jeff Hilson – both of whom have been exceptional teachers and mentors.

None of this would have been possible without my incredible partner, Kristen, and my amazing daughter Maddie. My parents and in-laws have also been a steady voice of support and love; thank you.

In so many ways i can only excel because of the strength and support of my community of freinds and colleagues, especially Christian Bok, Sina Queyras, Darren Wershler, Kenneth Goldsmith, Tony Trehy, Jordan Scott, Greg Betts, Lori Emerson, Jo Steffens, Kit Dobson, Helen Hajnoczky … and so many others. Thank you. And thank you to my students who always encourage me to listen, to share, to push my practice and my pedagogy. You rock.