I discover Alden Nowlan
Download: Alphabetical List of Nowlan's poems (Excel Spreadsheet)
Amongst a bunch of books that I found at a half-off sale in December 2004, was
Selected Poems by Alden Nowlan. I had never heard of him, but did recognize the name of
the editors, Lorna Crozier and Patrick Lane. The price was $4.50 (originally $19.95)
so even if I read only a few poems before putting it down, I wouldn't have paid much
for the privilege. Ha! Little did I know.
The first poem in the book was "Hens" and it blew me away. I had to check the cover
to make sure I wasn't reading a book by Gwendolyn McEwen. Nope. Alden Nowlan. I rushed
on to the next poem. "All Down the Morning". Whoa! Who was this Alden Nowlan?
And why was he writing the things I wanted to write?
And so it went. "Weakness", "Pussywillows in March", "God Sour the Milk of the Knacking Wench".
Every one was better than the last.
By the time I was half-way through, I had to slow down. I was going through the book
way too fast. At this rate, it would be all read in one evening. These poems
needed to be tasted gently, savoured for as long as possible. Stretched out. Made
to last, like an all-day sucker.
Long story shorter. I scoured the library for everything he's written. Found out
that most of his books are out of print and scraped my pennies together to
purchase my very own copy of Early Poems, soon to be accompanied by An Exchange
of Gifts and I Might Not Tell Everybody This if they are anywhere to be had.
For reasons known and understood by noone, not even me, I have made a list
of all Nowlan's poems, showing the names of the books in which each was published.
They are stored in a spreadsheet. This way I can sort them alphabetically (see link above),
or by book in which they appeared. I can make my own alphabetical list of poems
for the books, only a few of which, so far, have alphabetical indexes.
I have no idea why this is important to me, but it is. I want to know everything
about this man and his work. I want to know it inside out.
2011 Update: I have not been able to find An Exchange of Gifts nor I Might Not Tell Everybody This. However
in December 2011 I found copies of What Happened When He Went to the Store for Bread and Bread, Wine and Salt.
And a couple of years ago, I found Between Tears and Laughter. I am a happy woman.