John Thompson: Collected Poems & Translations

by Peter Sanger

During John Thompson's sadly attenuated lifetime, he completed only two volumes of poetry. At the Edge of the Chopping There Are No Secrets and Stilt Jack (published posthumously), but seldom has such a slim oeuvre supported such a large reputation. When John Thompson: Collected Poems and Translations was first published in 1995, the reasons for Thompson's stature became clear, and in the twenty years since then, his influence has only grown larger.

Thompson seeks out the darkest places of the heart, then floods them with light. These remarkable poems evoke the deep woods, the relentless turning of seasons that churn life into death, and back again to life. They unflinchingly examine his relationships, drawing out the pain and joys of domesticity.

Confessionally raw, but oblique and beautiful, Thompson's poetry -- and in particular, his experiments in Stilt Jack with adapting the ghazal, a poetic form with origins in Arabia -- has influenced three generations of poets. As Peter Sanger notes in his definitive introduction, "For many young Canadian poets, composing a ghazal sequence has become a rite of passage, and Thompson is often addressed or alluded to as a tutelary figure."

Reissued to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of its first appearance, this volume, edited and introduced by Peter Sanger, now revised and updated with new information and insights, gathers together all of Thompson's extant mature poems and translations, including, in addition to the two published books, poetry published only in periodicals, unpublished poetry, and Thompson's haunting translations from several of his French Canadian contemporaries and the great French poet Rene Char.

Genres: Poetry

296 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1995

Reviews

[Brenda Damen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the prologue we learn about Thompson's mood and demeanor in the days leading up to his suicide: risky knife-play in bars, surliness, isolating himself away in a rough cabin in the backwoods, away from everyone who loved him. In contrast, his poems, collected here, show a different side - his delight in nature, his fascination with light, the beautiful way he speaks about the joy of being alive.

[Danie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, this is probably one of the best collections I have encountered in a very long time and I think John Thompson just became my new favorite poet. His poetry is absolutely ravishing, so highly imagistic in ways that make language dance in constellations of association. Why isn't he more widely circulated?

[Luigi Sposato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started my poetry journey.

Economical, observatory, beautiful.