shift & switch

**a new collection to watch for (lots of great young talent in it) is Shift & Switch from Mercury Press. It is edited by derek beaulieu, Jason Christie & Angela Rawlings. From the "Introduction" by derek beaulieu:

"For too long and for far too often, Canadian poetry anthologies [read: frigging Breathing Fire] have presented a neo-conservative poetic as the "cutting edge" in Canadian poetry, marginalizing voices that work to challenge the reading & writing status quo. The poem as finely wrought epiphanic moment of personal reflection (the poetry norm) underlines mass-culture & political sameness; it does little to question or confront how language itself defines the limitations of expression - both personal & critical."

Contributors include:

derek beaulieu & Larissa Lai
Jason Christie & a.rawlings
Jon Paul Fiorentino &
Jordan Scott
ryan fitzpatrick &
Natalie Simpson
Jill Hartman & Nathalie Stephens
Jason Le Heup & rita wong
Frances Kruk & Jason Christie

I love the Mercury website! (ps. have an active cursor & click on the letters in the title). Buy it at Northwest Passages.