My dear friend, the poet Sandy Shreve, has died. A number of us wrote tributes to Sandy for @eventmags.bsky.social in December. I welcome you to read them today, and learn a bit more about an incredible poet, painter, arts organizer and human being:

My chapbook is now available for pre-order on the Pinhole Poetry website! pinholepoetry.ca/shoppoetry/

CBC Books pitch meeting, 2056: - The 14,000 Most Anticipated Summer Reads Written by Canadian AI. - Canada Reads 2056: One Book to Reassemble the Confederation. - Heated Rivalry: What Shane and Ilya can teach Supreme Leader Barron Trump and the Underground Resistance Network about compromise.

What happens when two poets speak? Joseph Kidney, one of the current #PoetryInTransit authors, sits down with legendary interviewer and poet Rob Taylor to indulge us with an examination of Kidney's prose, influences, and literary references. Unveil here: www.readlocalbc.ca/2026/01/28/a...

Raoul Fernandes, from the new issue of @thewalrus.ca

"Purge" by Guy Elston, from the Fall 2025 issue of @malahatreview.bsky.social.

“Weather is an immensely moving collection of poems attuned to poetry-as-living.” Thank you to Shazia Hafiz Ramji and @arcpoetry.bsky.social for a really lovely double review of my and John Reibetanz' latest books. You can get a copy of the new issue here: arcpoetry.ca/editorials/m...

My 2026 #BCPoetry interview series with @readlocalbc.bsky.social is here! New interviews in the series will be coming out steadily over the coming months. I spoke with @josephkidney.bsky.social about his debut @gooselane.bsky.social collection, "Devotional Forensics." I hope you enjoy it:

Vancouver! Get your butts over to UBC to take in Kayla Czaga reading her brilliant new book Midway (@houseofanansi.bsky.social) *in its entirety*! Whole Cloth Reading Series, January 28th, 5 PM, Green College.

🎵Boy-cott Save-On🎵 *Clap clap clapclapclap*

Sure, you hear "The conclusion of the epic trilogy..." frequently enough, but how often does that sentence finish "... of poetry anthologies!" Don't miss out!

"Compact Disc" by @jessicaleemcmillan.com, over at NewPoetry.ca:

Heck yes! It's a damn good book, maybe Solie's best (which is saying a lot!).

I've waited more than a decade to be able to say this: hell yeah, new Elizabeth Bachinsky!!! @nightwoodeditions.bsky.social harbourpublishing.com/products/978...

Vancouver! Get your butts over to UBC to take in Kayla Czaga reading her brilliant new book Midway (@houseofanansi.bsky.social) *in its entirety*! Whole Cloth Reading Series, January 28th, 5 PM, Green College.

Out May 12: On Occasion: Poems for the People ed. Sina Queyras A twenty-first-century reconsideration of the occasional poem by contemporary writers. chbooks.com/Books/O/On-O...

Oh hell yes! A selected poems from one of the best poets around. "Two Songs: Selected Poems 2000-2025" by Russell Thornton, just released by @harbourpublishing.bsky.social: harbourpublishing.com/products/978...

"Flashlight" by Karen Solie, from Best Canadian Poetry 2025 (@biblioasis.bsky.social), edited by Aislinn Hunter.

I love to see @chrisbanks6625.bsky.social encouraging folks to pick up a copy of Forests of the Medieval World by Don Coles, though I am way ahead of him 😂 the-wood-lot.ca/2026/01/07/f...

Check out the sharp new @gaspereaupress.bsky.social website!

Q: What is a song over six minutes long that's worth every minute? A: Fela Kuti's "Everything Scatter."

The students in my ENGL 389 class at UFV spent the fall interviewing Canadian authors on their new books. The results were *fantastic*. The interviews will be published in a variety of magazines throughout 2026. I'll link them all in this thread.

In 2026: Generative AI is not inevitable. You can say no. You can refuse. You can reject the disgusting lukewarm slop that the richest and worst people in the world are trying to force-feed you. You can tell them to eat shit and die mad. You can break the machine

5 perfect movies • Maborosi • Tokyo Story • A Serious Man • Paris, Texas • Aftersun

Thinking about Larry Levis.

whew

One of my favourite pieces we've ever commissioned for the Fraser Valley Writers Festival, "Spies" by Russell Thornton, is now up to read over at the FVWF Festival Magazine:

One heck of a @deadpoetsreading.bsky.social lineup for January!

Love this roundup of reflections on Sandy Shreve and her work. I know that she helped put together the indespensable In Fine Form anthology (which I teach) but didn't know she was responsible for Poetry in Transit! Thanks for putting this together, Rob!

On the 35th anniversary of Sandy Shreve's first book, I asked poets and artists to talk about the impact Sandy, her art and community work have had on their lives. Without Sandy we wouldn't have Poetry in Transit, the In Fine Form anthology, etc., so folks had a lot to say! @eventmags.bsky.social

I didn't do a "favourite books" post last year, as I was judging a prize, so here are some of my favourite books from 2024 and 2025 combined. Read them and be happy! (If it's hard to read, the titles and authors are in the alt text.)

Arc is the one lit mag that I read cover to cover, in no small part because of Nancy Jo Cullen's work making it the gathering place to talk poetry in Canada. Thank you, Nancy!

Well hot damn, isn't this wonderful? Weather was just longlisted for my favourite little poetry book prize. And what company! Thank you to @rclas.bsky.social and 2025 judge Cecily Nicholson for this honour. rclas.com/2025-fred-co...

Progressive Conservative joins Progressive Conservative party

A new @elliesawatzky.bsky.social poem is always cause for celebration! 🥳 "Vaporwave" is up over at @eventmags.bsky.social:

In which I talk a little about my favourite book of the year, @jobitek.bsky.social's "We, the Kindling." Thank you to @thenewquarterly.bsky.social for the opportunity:

Read this. "OpenAI is not a partner—it’s an empire, cloaked in ethics and bundled with a Terms of Service. The university didn’t resist. It clicked ‘Accept.’" www.currentaffairs.org/news/ai-is-d...

No movie has ever captured the spirit of a poet quite as well as when this dude asks for more chicken at the buffet.

Support poets and poetry in Canada with a donation to the League of Canadian Poets, which will be matched by DC Reid! Help grow the Member Support Fund: www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/141439

If you're interested in studying poetry in the new year, think about taking "Poetry 1" with @raoulfernandes.bsky.social. January-March via @cs-sfu.bsky.social. It's an online, asynchronous course you can complete from anywhere, while also having a cohort for workshops and discussions:

The new issue of @thenewquarterly.bsky.social is here, featuring my interview with Anita Lahey about her two recent books. Go grab a copy!

Barry Dempster has died. He left a very beautiful message for everyone, which his niece posted to Instagram. You can read it here: www.instagram.com/p/DRkvL3bkSV...

Did you know that the Fraser Valley Writers Festival commissions new writing from Canadian authors, which they debut at the festival? And those pieces are later published in our festival magazine? Here's a little thread of new writing from some of Canada's best:

New Sue Sinclair! In March! From @gooselane.bsky.social! gooselane.com/products/new...

Plum poem memes are still in the running in the "What was Literary Twitter?" bracket. Vote early and often!!! lithub.com/what-was-lit...

Best Canadian Poetry 2025 and 2026 co-launch! Thursday, December 11, 7 PM Upstart & Crow Bookstore Granville Island, Vancouver More details over at @biblioasis.bsky.social: www.biblioasis.com/event/best-c...

The City of Port Moody is looking for Creative Writing instructors for adult classes. $30 per hour, 2.5 hour sessions. www.civicinfo.bc.ca/careers?link...

Jack Gilbert. You read him and you read him and the poems almost become like old jokes you have heard before until suddenly one hits you like you've never read it. Whoa. This poem is dynamite.

Dear sweet God almighty, what a lineup. Tolu Oloruntoba and Karen Solie, one week from today, online! www.eventbrite.ca/e/lunch-poem...