This tape consists of an amateur home recording of a private reading among poets and friends hosted by George and Angela Bowering on August 16, 1986. Guest readers include Sharon Thesen and Robin Blaser. Other readers may include Rob Dunham reading Luis Posse’s poems and Dwight Gardiner.
The sociality and community-focus of the event is referenced throughout. Sharon Thesen mentions that “it’s nice to be part of the garden anthology,” which one might assume to be the intimate home setting of the reading itself. Rob Dunham introduces the event by heralding a classroom context, saying “class, come to order please, boys and girls.” Most probably humorous in intention, this invocation also possibly cites the historical interspersion of pedagogy and more intimate community of practice with the so-called 1963 Vancouver Poetry Conference or ENGL 401.
Additionally, poems in this recording are dedicated to members of the audience, including Angela and George Bowering respectively, and Robin Blaser. Sharon Thesen’s first reading from Confabulations is also mentioned, creating a network of past and present poetry events, a sense of mutual support and respect for each other’s work.
The tape stops recording mid-poem.—Klara du Plessis & Karis Shearer
| Bibliography
Gardiner, Dwight. New York Book of the Dead. Talonbooks, 1984. Print.
Posse, Luis. Free the Shadows. Talonbooks, 1986. Print.
Thesen, Sharon. Confabulations: Poems for Malcolm Lowry. Oolichan Books, 1984. Print.
| Metadata
“Bowering Party Readings Aug 16, 1986.” SpokenWeb Search Engine. https://search.spokenweb.ca/catalog/4175