Vancouver, B.C.

The book Gray Matter Graffitti: remnants of collections lost… an early gallery from some alleyways & other by-ways by Sam W. Reimer launched unofficially in Vancouver over the weekend. It is a collection of some 200 original written works drawing from a prodigious assemblage penned during four decades of expressive poetic ideation by the Vancouver bard. Edited by Robert L. Peters, the book was designed and published by Circle.

From the book’s introduction: “Sam’s poems provide a plaintive voice for our tempestuous times—his unique commentaries on life and love (and love-lost ennui) are at once poignant, unapologetically direct, and (often) edged with the tragic—his ponderings range from the profane to the sacred, drill deep, and dare to pose unanswerable questions…”

Read sample excerpts from the book here, learn more about Sam W. Reimer here, and find out the latest news (about upcoming poetry readings, etc.) here.

Images: the book; the book unveiled to the bard at the Ivanhoe Pub in Vancouver (a venue that looms large in the writing); illustrated chapter titles (poems in the 214-page book appear in eight thematic chapters).

Winnipeg, Canada

August McWatt FitzGerald made his long-expected entry into the world on Wednesday evening (30 April), weighing in at 8 lbs. 9 ounces, and sporting a fine head of red hair. Mother Susan (a senior designer here at Circle) and father Ryan are as proud and delighted as one might expect… of course all of us are pretty chuffed as well. Congratulations!

In lieu of flowers, Adrian Shum and I compiled a framed keepsake for wee August on behalf of Circle (view a larger PDF file here).