Throughout his career A.M. Klein struggled to define for himself the role of the poet in the contemporary world. Deeply rooted in the traditions of Judaism, and at the same time powerfully attracted by the freedom and scope of international modernism, he sought to reconcile past and present, community and creative individuality. Whether or not he finally achieved his own high aims, it was, in his own words, 'something merely to entertain them.' The result was a body of work immensely rich and varied in tone, language, cultural resonance.

This collection of eighty-four poems offers a representative sampling of Klein's finest poetry, while taking into account the changing critical discourse of the last fifty years. Anyone interested in experiencing the full range of Klein's poetic achievement, or in understanding the complex nature of the poet, need look no further than this eminently readable volume.

A.M. Klein (1909-1972) was a Canadian poet and writer.

A.M. Klein's profile page

Seymour Mayne is the author, editor or translator of more than fifty books and monographs. His writings have been translated into many languages, including French, German, Hebrew, Polish, Russian, and Spanish. His latest collections include Light IndustryRicochet: Word Sonnets (Mosaic Press, 2004), September Rain (Mosaic Press, 2005) and Les pluies de septembre (Éditions du Noroît, 2008), his Selected Poems translated into French by Pierre DesRuisseaux. He serves as Professor of Canadian Literature, Canadian Studies, and Creative Writing at the University of Ottawa. --- Seymour Mayne a écrit, édité ou traduit plus de cinquante volumes et monographies. Ses écrits ont été traduits en plusieurs langues, dont le français, l’allemand, l’hébreu, le polonais, le russe et l’espagnol. Ses dernières publications comprennent Light Industry (Mosaic Press, 2000), Ricochet: Word Sonnets (Mosaic Press, 2004), September Rain (Mosaic Press, 2005); et Les pluies de septembre : poèmes choisis, traduit de l’anglais par Pierre DesRuisseaux (Éditions du Noroît, 2008). Il est professeur de littérature, de création littéraire et d’études canadiennes à l’Université d’Ottawa.

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Zailig Pollock is Professor of English Literature, Trent University.

Zailig Pollock's profile page

Usher Caplan is an editor at the National Gallery of Canada.

Usher Caplan's profile page