a blewointment book

"bill bissett is my astral twin."
--Margaret Atwood

Many of Canada's most renowned poets salute a national treasure in this poetic tribute to bill bissett. bissett has been a landmark on the Canadian literary scene since the 1960s, renowned as much for his fascinating life as for his poetics. He is best known for his anti-conventional poetry, which makes use of phonetic spelling and visual elements, and for his performances of concrete sound, chanting, and dancing during poetry readings. bissett is also the founder of blewointment press (now Nightwood Editions).

Throughout his life, bissett has attracted a host of admirers--and not just from the counterculture movement. Poets of all styles are fans of his work, including Margaret Atwood, George Bowering, Di Brandt, Leonard Cohen, Lorna Crozier, Patrick Lane, bp Nichol, Steve McCaffery, Jay MillAr, PK Page, and Darren Wershler-Henry. No Canadian poet has gained a wider acceptance in the various poetic "schools" than bissett. His work transcends boundaries, appealing to those whose tastes run toward the traditional and to the more avant-garde. Now, for the first time, this diverse group of more than 80 poets comes together in one book to celebrate bissett's life and work.

radiant danse uv being is an essential text for anyone interested in the work of bill bissett--and in Canadian literature itself.

Jeff Pew (pictured left with bill bissett and Stephen Roxborough) is co-founder of "Poetry on the Rocks," an annual celebration of spoken word in the East Kootenays. He works as a creative writing teacher and counsellor to teens. Most recently, he was one of the winners of Maisonneuve Magazine's Castaways Writing Contest (2007). He lives in Kimberley, BC.

Jeff Pew's profile page

Stephen Roxborough (aka roxword, pictured right with Jeff Pew and bill bissett) is the co-founder of the Burning Word poetry festival, board member of the Washington Poets Association and Head Poet for Madrona Center. An award-winning performance poet, Roxborough was nominated for a 2003 Pushcart Prize. He lives in Anacortes, Washington.

Stephen Roxborough's profile page

"radiant danse uv being is a love letter by such luminaries as Margaret Atwood, Leonard Cohen, Steve McCaffrey, Jay MillAr, Stuart Ross and others. This book has much to offer and if you have never read bissett it may prove a useful launching point into his work. If you already enjoy his writing, this book will show you are not alone."
- Vincent Panka, Broken Pencil

Broken Pencil

"Varying from simple free-verse to stream-of-consciousness to a gridlike array of words in blocks, these brief poems reflect bill bissett's avant-garde influence, and the life he breathed into sound poetry, narrative loopholes, and the poetic value of internet speak... radiant danse uv being is a dynamic tribute for poetry aficionados interested in fresh writing approaches and freedom from conventional bounds."
- Midwest Book Review

Midwest Book Review

"An attempt was made a few years ago as a special issue of The Capilano Review on bill and his work; much more comprehensive as tribute to bissett is the new anthology radiant danse uv being. What makes the true measure of the collection is the range of contributors included."
- rob mclennan, robmclennan.blogspot.com

rob mclennan

"...an exciting, disarming, kinetic and scintillating anthology honouring legendary Canadian poet and artist, blewointment Press editor, poetry trickster and boddhisattva bill bissett. These sundry works, tributes, stories and visuals reflect and bounce off one another in an Indra's Net of wit and insight, creating a vibrating portrait. It's a wild love affair, a sacred conversation, an event, a welcome cultural intervention, the consummate festschrift that shines though this truly radiant danse uv being. Kudos to the community for this sweet and rare pleasure of a book."
- Anne Waldman, The Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics

Anne Waldman

"Like talking with bissett, many rewards are to be found in this collection."
- Xtra, Toronto

Xtra

"bissett's fans will enjoy the offbeat stories and tributes."
- Alison Calder, Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press

A Georgia Straight summer reading pick
"radiant danse uv being: a poetic portrait of bill bissett doesn't tell you where bill bissett was born or who inspired his poetry. (Well, it does, but inadvertently.) It does, however, give you your travelling papers for the magical bissett mystery tour, a synapses-wide-open visit to the land of possibilities. Your guides on this raging trip are many of Canada's best-known poets, writing with creativity and play in the style/shadow of this most excellent man of letters... Invention, inveteracy, inanity, insanity, individuality-�bissett asks for nothing more than a second thought, a second look. And a third. Read this with an open heart and you will perhaps come to ask for the same. Which is a most excellently raging way to close the chapter on summer."
- John Burns, The Georgia Straight

Georgia Straight

"A great sampling of contemporary Canadian poets and insight into bissett and his poetry."
- Annie Boulanger, books choice for summertime, burnabynow.com

Burnaby Now

"...works of raging excellence."
- Christian B�k, author of Eunoia

Christian B�k

"...[radiant danse uv being] is way fun. It's a joyful collection, fuelled by bissett's indomitable spirit of lunatic creativity...."
- Alisa Gordaneer, Monday Magazine

Monday Magazine

"A fun read, with an amazing array of poems, stories and anecdotes from a veritable Who's Who of CanLit. The book includes contributions by poets whose works have been directly influenced by bissett... It is, however, the surprising contributions from the likes of Margaret Avison, Leonard Cohen, Margaret Atwood, George Bowering and P.K. Page - whose styles differ greatly from bissett's - that reveals how significant his work has been to other writers... radiant danse uv being is a collection with samplings for everyone's tastes."
- Greg Santos, The Link

The Link

The writers [of radiant danse uv being]... all share an immense affection for the man who, as Christian B�k so aptly points out: "has misspelled his way so deeply into the hearts of readers everywhere..." The poetic tributes, along with their accompanying anecdotes (appearing at the back of the book), allow readers to gain a deeper understanding of bissett's life and work, along with his influence on contemporary Canadian poetics.

"radiant danse uv being, with its impressive array of writing, all linked by a common theme, is proof of bissett's far-reaching influence. When originally presented with the idea by the book's editors, bissett was humbled, and didn't think there would be "enuff around abt my work or me 2 make a book" (11) Of course, there was, and not surprisingly, this portrait of a poet noted for being so generous in spirit, goes on to offer more, that is, a revealing look into one of the most innovative and prevalent movements in Canadian poetry.
--Maria Scala, Poetryreviews.ca
To read the full review, visit a href=http://poetryreviews.ca/2008/02/04/radiant-danse-uv-being-edited-by-jeff-pew-stephen-roxborough/>Poetryreviews.ca

PoetryReviews.ca

"...a collection by a regular alphabet of Canadian literary worthies. A couple of things are clear from reading through these pieces: bill bissett is very well loved, and also very well admired for his work as a poet, publisher, painter, and activist."
- Bill Richardson, CBC Radio

Bill Richardson

Umbrella Tooth

"Expect to meet old friends as well as your own tears, sighs, giggles and inspired nostalgia. The anecdotes about bissett are remarkable. If one didn't know these poems are describing someone who is a poet/friend, one would assume their subject is a guru, shaman, spiritual teacher, therapist, prophet or healer. The descriptive words are the elevated praise reserved for the likes of a Mandela, Ghandi, Thomas Merton and John Lennon."
- Hannah Main-van der Kamp, BC Bookworld

BC Bookworld