David W. McFadden
ISBN 13: 978-1-894469-62-3
$19.95 CDN/US
150 pp
The often outrageous and always wise follow-up to 2008’s Governor General’s Award–nominated Be Calm, Honey shows David W. McFadden at his most inquisitive and provocative. Here you’ll find ninety-nine poems full of surprises by a Canadian long-distance poet in his sixth decade of writing, a writer who never rests on his laurels or allows himself to become complacent. This is a book full of mystics and Golden Age movie stars, friends of McFadden and long-dead philosophers, and their tales are all told in the poet’s deceptively plainspoken voice.
Shortlisted for the 2013 Canadian Griffin Prize for Poetry.
“[David W. McFadden] is the most readable poet on the planet…. He reminds you to be yourself, to be yourself in the world, and give it a chance to amaze you. While reading his beautiful clear language, you sense that he is a trickster, but you cannot help believing every stanza he writes. If there is any such thing as an essential poet, here he is.” — Judges’ citation, 2008 Griffin Poetry Prize shortlist
“McFadden often addresses serious subjects like mortality, but with a sly, absurdist touch. He’s the archenemy of solemnity… He slips in satirical pokes at human failings and sneaks up on existential questions in a disarmingly offbeat way.” — Barbara Carey, Toronto Star
“Being McFadden, he often confronts losses, real or anticipated, with a wicked if understated sense of humour…. The large range of moods in Be Calm, Honey reflect both the times and the generous spirit of the writer.” — Douglas Barbour, Canadian Literature
“Be Calm, Honey displays masterful wit in a sequence of playful sonnets that engage the slipperiness of moment, thought and experience. There is delightful wisdom and humanity in the quirky disguises and accessibility of his plain speech.” — 2009 Governor General’s Award jury
