Ever wonder what's going on with the poetry scene in Canada? So did we! I'm proud to present the ninth issue of pax americana: pax americanada. Rather than delve into something I know next to nothing about, I gave the editorial reigns for this issue to pax americana's poetry editor and native Canadian, Greg Santos. Thanks Greg for putting together such a great issue and for letting me help. Also, thanks to our friend Todd Swift at Nth Position, a wonderful magazine, for helping us contact a ton of Canadian poets we love.
Also, be sure to check out our store for our second print issue, which features other great writers such as, Elaine Equi, Jillian Weise, Paul Vermeersch and Mike McDonough.
Thanks fer readin'!
Ben Mirov
(editor-in-chief)
Dear Reader,
Early on in my career as an MFA student in Manhattan, I told a classmate that I am Canadian. After some thought, he confessed, “I don’t really know of any Canadian poets and writers aside from Margaret Atwood, Alice Munro, and Michael Ondaatje. Could you tell me about the others?” Oh boy. When I get going on the subject of Canadian writers and their works, I just can’t shut my trap. In fact, I compulsively buy books of Canadian poetry and read them to my fiancée while she goes about her daily business. Ask her. It’s true. Open Pandora’s Box and I will spew out a barrage of Canadian poetry to anyone who will listen. Lucky you, dear reader!
This special issue of pax americana, then, means quite a lot to me. If you will recall, in my author’s bio of issue 8 I declared that my “life mission is to promote unity and peace between Canada and the US” and that my first suggestion would be to “rename pax americana to pax americanada.” At last, this suggestion has come to glorious fruition!
But why rename pax americana to pax americanada? First of all, it’s punny! Secondly, and more importantly, I’d like to think that this name suggests a possible bridge between (rather than a melding of) our two distinct literary nations. I hope that this issue will provoke interest and debate on the question of interchange (poetic or otherwise) between our two countries, all while introducing some readers (and re-acquainting others) with today’s Canadian poetry. That being said, this issue does not, by any means, seek to define Canadian poetry, but simply to present an array of poets from across the country for your reading pleasure. Here you will find both new and well-established voices, whose work I enjoy, respect, and admire.
I want to thank Ben Mirov for his trust in me and for granting me the opportunity to put this project together in the first place. I also wish to thank Todd Swift, not only for submitting his own work but also for helping us get in touch with many of the poets whose work appears here. Last, but certainly not least, I must thank all the Canadian poets who so generously submitted their poems and made this issue possible.
Vive la pax americanada!
May the beaver and the eagle make beautiful poetry-babies together!
With all good wishes,
Greg Santos
New Haven, Connecticut
October 10, 2008
