As much as a poetry collection can be "about" anything, this book is "about" unrequited love and the death of two friends. The weights of life, love, existence, mortality. The weight of getting older. And also "the waits" of life, love, existence, mortality. The weight of waiting for things to happen in life.

Ken Norris was born in New York City in 1951. He emigrated to Canada in the early seventies, where he quickly became one of the infamous Vehicule Poets, essential in helping to develop and maintain a particular style of Anglo-poetry in Montreal.

One of Canada’s most prolific poets, Ken Norris has always given his readers subtly capricious and edgy poetry that reveals unanticipated possibilities and explores new horizons. He is the author of two dozen books and chapbooks of poetry, and is the editor of eight anthologies of poetry and poetics. His work has been widely anthologized in Canada and throughout the English-speaking world, as well as published in translation in France, Belgium, Israel and China. Quebec poet Pierre Des Ruisseaux has translated two of his books into French, La route des limbes (Limbo Road, Écrits des Forges) and Hotel Montréal (Éditions du Noroît).

Norris teaches Canadian literature and creative writing at the University of Maine. He divides his time between Canada, the United States and Asia.

Ken Norris' profile page

"The people in Monahan's poems are flame-licked and flame-vibrant, touched by fiery words and a passion for language." - Canadian Book Review Annual