Poetry in Transit launches 25th year of local poetry program

The Association of Book Publishers of BC (ABPBC) is excited to announce the 2021/22 Poetry in Transit selections. Now celebrating its 25th year, this project, made possible through a partnership with TransLink and BC Transit, is an opportunity to showcase local poets.    The 2021/22 Poetry in Transit poets and featured books are: 

• • Tanja Bartel (Pitt Meadows) – Everyone At This Party, Goose Lane Editions
  • Marita Dachsel (Victoria) – There Are Not Enough Sad Songs, University of Alberta Press
  • Junie Désil (Vancouver) – eat salt | gaze at the ocean, Talonbooks
  • Patrick Friesen (Victoria) – Outlasting the Weather: Selected & New Poems 1994-2020, Anvil Press
  • Dallas Hunt (Vancouver) – Creeland, Nightwood Editions
  • Donna Kane (Rolla) – Orrery, Harbour Publishing
  • Matsuki Masutani (Denman Island) – I will be more myself in the next world, Mother Tongue Publishing
  • Barbara Nickel (Yarrow) – Essential Tremor: Poems, Caitlin Press & Dagger Editions
  • Billeh Nickerson (Vancouver) – Duct-Taped Roses, Book*hug Press
  • Linda K. Thompson (Port Alberni) – Black Bears in the Carrot Field, Mother Tongue Publishing 

Poetry in Transit has been running since 1996, making it the longest-running poetry on transit program in Canada. Poems eligible for the project must be by writers who reside in BC and published in book form by Canadian publishers. Poems are submitted by publishers and selected by a jury. The 2021/22 jury included poets Fiona Tinwei Lam and Rob Taylor, and Jennifer Froese from TransLink. Eight of featured poets will be reading in a virtual launch event as part of the Word Vancouver festival, Friday, September 24 at 3:00 p.m. Join host Rob Taylor for readings by Tanja Bartel, Marita Dachsel, Junie Désil, Patrick Friesen, Dallas Hunt, Matsuki Masutani, Barbara Nickel and Billeh Nickerson. More information at wordvancouver.ca Over the next year, look for 2021/22 Poetry in Transit car cards on buses throughout Metro Vancouver, and share your sightings using the #PoetryInTransit hashtag. When you share a photo and/or your response to the poem on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #PoetryInTransit, you’ll automatically be entered to win one of three book prize packs. Read the full contest details and find out more about the project at poetryintransit.ca News release (PDF)