Ritchie discovers and obstructs truths, like the difficulty of being at the bar and being a lilac bush simultaneously. I bought tear-resistant pants
just in case
I'm not
a good guy underneath it all,
being honest in discreet doses
to underpaid retail employees.

With an alternating sense of wonder and detachment, Jay Ritchie's first full-length collection of poetry grapples with death, disappointment, love, emails - the large and small subjects of daily life. His unflagging sense of humour and aphoristic delivery create a work that is personable yet elevated, witty, and honest.

Jay Ritchie is a writer, editor, teacher, and McGill English PhD student. Author of the poetry collection Cheer Up, Jay Ritchie (Coach House Books, 2017), a collection of short stories, and a poetry chapbook, he has an MFA in Poetry from UMass Amherst and was the Assistant Editor for Metatron Press and Managing Editor of Vallum magazine. He lives in Tio’tia:ke / Montreal and can be found online at www.jayritchie.org.

Jay Ritchie's profile page

“With their clever - but never glib - concision of image, and emotional directedness, these poems actually make me feel something, and that is something I really enjoy.' - Rebecca Wolff, author of One Morning-

?Ritchie throws black holes on the wall, disappears through them. His poems are like dreams dreamed mid-movement, just before something happens, as if light, buildings, breath, parakeets, hope, haircuts, Montreal, and art-making are all fragments of the same epiphany.' - Sean Michaels, Giller Prize-winning author of Us Conductors

?Charming, funny, and often elegant. This is a formidable collection.' - Ben Fama, author of Fantasy