Sofia Markusfeld / McGill TribuneLast Thursday, I ventured over to the Atwater library to watch notable Canadian poets Matt Rader and Russell Thornton recite their selected works as part of the Atwater Poetry Project. Originally founded in 2004, the Atwater Poetry Project offers audiences the chance to hear their favorite authors speak about their work and to introduce readers to material they may have not known otherwise.
An unlikely string of coincidences and events led poets Matt Rader and Russell Thornton to follow the same path. Having come across some of Rader’s works at a poetry event in Vancouver several years ago, Thornton instantly related to Rader’s allusions of natural landmarks and the scenic beauty of British Columbia, a theme echoed in much of Thornton’s own work. After their first several encounters, Thornton took Rader under his wing to help mold him into the poetic sensation he has become today.
The simple and modest set up inside the quiet Atwater auditorium created an intimate setting between the audience and speakers using only a single podium and several rows of old wooden chairs. The diversity of the audience members was testament to the power that poetry has to connect with people on a universal level: from eclectically-dressed university students to senior citizens of a notably urbane background, I felt that we all were equally engaged with every word that the poets read aloud.
Matt Rader was the first of the two to stand at the podium. He recited from his newly published book, A Doctor Pedalled Her Bicycle Over the River Arno. I appreciated the dense and multilayered references Rader incorporated in his poems, which illustrated vivid images relating to both his Italian heritage in Canada, and the natural elements found in British Columbia. However, the lack of enthusiasm and monotony in his oration dulled the impact of his poetry, rather than enticing the audience to fully appreciate the details in his poems. It was an underwhelming start to the poetry session, which may just reflect the fact that Rader’s writing is far suporior to his oratory skills.
The mood of the second half of the session shifted after Russell Thornton took the stand. Perhaps he was simply more comfortable with public speaking as a seasoned poet, but he immediately exerted a command over his words that proved to be enchanting. Reciting poems mostly from The House Built of Rain, Thornton also interjected anecdotes about his experiences of living both in Montreal and Vancouver and his difficult childhood with a single mother raising four sons, which inspired the most poignant poem of the evening, Aluminum Beds.
The Atwater Poetry Project gave me more than anticipated: I came in expecting to learn about poets I had never heard of before, but I ended up leaving with a newfound appreciation for the Canadian poetry scene.
The next Atwater Poetry Project features Sue Goyette and Darren Bifford on Feb. 23 at the Atwater Library (1200 Atwater Ave.)
