Sunday, October 19, 2008

Arc's Lampman Scott-Award for Poetry

from the Arc site: "Established in 1986, the Archibald Lampman Award for Poetry was inspired by Archibald Lampman, Canada’s finest 19th century poet." and ...

"Duncan Campbell Scott was born in Ottawa in 1862 and died here in 1947. He had a 53-year career in the civil service and was a tireless contributor to the cultural life of the national capital. With Ottawa’s Archibald Lampman and Fredericton’s Charles G.D. Roberts and Bliss Carman, Scott was a leader of the influential group of “Confederation Poets” who comprised the first full flowering of Canadian literature, especially poetry, in the late nineteenth century."

the award was given at the Ottawa International Writers Festival opening night last night along with the City of Ottawa Book Awards.

and the winner is...

Shane Rhodes for The Bindery (NeWest Press, 2007).

Citing Duncan Campell Scott's role as the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs in charge of some of the worst policies regarding Aboriginals, Shane said that he is donating half of the money to the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health. The prize is $1,500. As I said last night, Shane has beauty, brains and heart.

the long list of folks whose poetry was considered for the award:

Michael Blouin for I’m not going to lie to you
Stephen Brockwell for The Real Made Up
Anne Le Dressay for Old Winter
Nicholas Lea for Everything is Movies
Luis Lama for Alien Land
Nadine McInnis for Two Hemispheres
rob mclennan for The Ottawa City Project
Colin Morton for The Cabbage of Paradise
Shane Rhodes for The Bindery
Ian Roy for Red Bird
Asoka Weerasinghe for Mayan Love Songs

The Short List

Michael Blouin for I’m not going to lie to you
Nadine McInnis for Two Hemispheres
Shane Rhodes for The Bindery


more info on the award is here.

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