unbroken

by Bob MacKenzie

A difficult and emotive read, this new suite of poems by Bob Mackenzie explores themes of loss, betrayal, and grief; they demonstrate the power of photography and memory to both reveal, and hide, devastating truths. Interlinked by image and story, they sketch out how we hope and become hopeless, and the many ways we shatter and stiffen in the fires of living. They cannot be called uplifting, but instead are a grim nod to suffering, agency, and survival.
Deanna MacDonald, Next Chapter Counselling & Psychotherapy

Bob MacKenzie's new book of poetry is a literary film-noir. Apocalyptic and psychological themes throughout as well as echoes of The Godfather and Town Without Pity . A dark and wonderful read that grabs you and leaves you wanting more.
Joseph A. Farina, author of Ghosts of Water Street and The Cancer Chronicles

Poet Profile

Bob MacKenzie has been greatly influenced by growing up in Alberta with artist parents and now finds inspiration for writing during daily walks through woods and along waterfronts in and around Kingston, Ontario. His keen eye for detail shows in his talent for outdoor photography. Bob's ability to draw a wide variety of people into conversation results in astute observations on human nature in his writing, and his love of music from diverse genres allows his poetry to sing and dance its way through our complex world.

Bob MacKenzie=s poetry has been published across North America and as far away as Australia, Greece, India, and Italy in publications that include The Literary Review of Canada, The Dalhousie review, Windsor Review, and The Criterion. He=s published eighteen volumes of poetry and prose-fiction and his work's appeared in numerous anthologies.

Bob has received a number of awards for his writing including an Ontario Arts Council grant for literature, a Canada Council Grant for performance, and a Fellowship to attend the Summer Literary Seminars in Tbilisi, Georgia.

For eighteen years Bob's poetry has been spoken and sung live with original music by the ensemble Poem de Terre, and the group has released six albums.

60 pages, Paperback

Published May 13, 2022

About the author

Bob MacKenzie has been a full-time self-supporting professional writer in both the commercial and literary fields since 1965. He began his career as a writer, editor, and producer in print and broadcast media while pursuing a literary career. Since the late-Eighties, Bob's concentrated on his literary career, writing short stories, novels, and poetry (including song lyrics), and performing words with music live on stage and in recordings.

Bob grew up in a photo studio in mid-century rural Alberta with artist parents. His father was a professional photographer and musician and his mother a photo technician, colourist, and painter. At a very young age, he was given his own camera. Ever since he's been shooting photographs and writing poems and stories. Raised in this environment, he quickly developed a natural affinity for photography and for the intricacies of language.

Bob's poetry has appeared in nearly 500 journals across North America and as far away as Great Britain, Australia, Greece, India, and Italy. Over the past half-century, Bob has published 20 volumes of poetry and prose-fiction and his writing has appeared in many anthologies around the world.

Bob has received numerous local and international awards for his writing as well as an Ontario Arts Council grant for literature, a Canada Council Grant for performance, and a Fellowship to attend the Summer Literary Seminars in Tbilisi, Georgia.

With the ensemble Poem de Terre, for eighteen years Bob's poetry has been spoken and sung live with original music and the group has released six albums.