by Joe Blades
published by Chaudiere Books
May 2011
An earlier, much smaller edition appeared as a limited-edition book produced by Waterloo, Ontario publisher Widows and orphans in 2004 as casemate poems, later translated and published in Belgrade. As Blades himself wrote of that earlier edition:
The two suites of “casemate poems” were written during two one-week artist-in-residence stints in 2003 in Fredericton, New Brunswick. These were public, interactive, residencies with visitors passing though the casemate workspace with two concurrent artists-in-residence scheduled for any given week. During his residency, Blades had a typewriter set up on a table facing the open doorway of the casemate. It was always primed with a sheet of paper. In the tradition of writers in storefronts, as Blades finished composing each poem, it was attached to the casemate wall. Blades also took photographs inside and from within the casemate looking outward: images of the casemate itself, of his art in progress, photographs of the weaving looms, of the potter and pottery turned.
In this volume, Blades’ poems and photographs are combined to produce a work that reflects the immediacy of their composition while enabling the reader to experience Blades' writing at their own pace.From: Pesme iz kazamata (Beograd: Rad, 2005)
To read Canadian poet and artist Joe Blades’ book of poetry casemate poems means to get knowledge about one very specific way of understanding poetry today. […] Blades’ poetry is written by activating different layers of human knowledge and by articulation of this knowledge, for example, in narrations of history and geography. He moves in time (historical perspective) and in space (for example, actual events in the world at the time, such as the attack on the World Trade Center, or pointing to the contemporary racist attitudes of specific countercultures.—Dubravka Đurić
(translated from the Serbian by Dubravka Đurić.)
author bio:
Joe Blades has been giving readings, performing and publishing his poetry since 1980.
Blades was born and raised in Nova Scotia. He's a graduate of NSCAD (BFA (Studio Major: Intermedia), 1988), and he recently completed a Film & Television Certificate Program through the NB Filmmakers' Cooperative. He is also an alumni of the Banff Centre, Maritime Writers Workshop, Sage Hill Writing Experience, and the Simon Fraser University Book Publishing Immersion Workshop.
His poetry and art have appeared in over 50 trade and chapbook anthologies and CDs, and in numerous periodicals. Blades has authored or edited 30 poetry chapbooks and limited edition artist books. His five full-length poetry books are Cover Makes a Set (SpareTime Editions, 1990), River Suite (Insomniac Press, 1998), Open Road West (Broken Jaw Press, 2000, 2001) and Casemate Poems (Widows & Orphans, 2004). Serbian translations of River Suite as Recna svita in the Slike iz kanade: Tri kanadska pesnika (SKC Nis), and Casemate Poems as Pesme iz kazamata (i.p. Rad), were published in 2005.
various upcoming Joe Blades readings/lectures/residencies:
June 1, 7:30 pm: Joe Blades reads at Literary Translators' Association of Canada members &
friends. Congress 2011. Alden Nowlan House/Windsor Castle Bar, 676 Windsor St, Fredericton, NB.
June, 3-4:15 pm. Panel/paper presentation. Poetry of Place: The Confluence of Coasts, Continents and Consciousness by Jennifer Pazienza & Joe Blades. Congress 2011. Rm 210, Marshall d’Avray Hall, Room/Salle 210, UNB Fredericton, Fredericton, NB.
June 9-20: Toronto, Brno, Berlin (unfortunately no scheduled readings, as yet)
July 9-15: Fredericton Arts Alliance Artists in Residence 2011 Summer Series, at the Barracks Fine Craft Shops, Queen St, Fredericton, NB. A week-long residency. Joe Blades, writer/book artist, paired with Leigh Merritt, emerging potter. Will include reading(s).
October 1: Joe Blades and Broken Jaw Press at Feria Latinoamericana de Libros y Revistas/Latinamerican Fair of Books and Journals. Ottawa, ON. Para más información o registrarse enviar un correo electrónico a info@artemapale.com o llamar al 613-828-8151.
check here for updates from the author.
$18.00 CAN/$18.00 US
isbn 978-097834281-4
available to bookstores through LitDisCo
or directly through the publisher at rob_mclennan@hotmail.com
or send $20 (payable to rob mclennan; outside Canada, $20 US) directly to the press at:
Chaudiere Books
858 Somerset Street West, main floor
Ottawa ON Canada K1R 6R7
check out the link here at chaudierebooks.com
