Monday, June 22, 2009


Hello Alex

Because you always spoke of your high regard for Gerry Gilbert and his work, I thought you might like to know, if you hadn't heard already, that Gerry died in St. Paul's Hospital last Friday at 6PM. Both his children Tamsin and Jeremy had paid recent visits, and Marlene Swidzinkski, a dear old friend was with him in his final hours.

There's a short notice on our Schroedinger's Cat blog, plus photos.

Schroedinger's Cat


We will probably organize a memorial reading later in August.

I'll keep you posted.

Best regards

Jamie Reid



Fork

stick around
or
the poem may never end
Gerry Gilbert
Azure Blues, Talonbooks 1991

Gerry Gilbert was my favourite Canadian poet. He helped me access poetry like no other poet has. I loved Gilbert because he always lived in poverty or close to poverty. He had his damned principles of which he never relaxed or let go.


Music Lessoning

they played some liszt on the radio today
it wasn’t listening

they played some satie on the radio today
it wasn’t satisfying

they played some apollinaire on the radio today
it wasn’t appalling

they played some rock on the radio today
it wasn’t stoned

they played some jazz on the radio today
it wasn’t the actual sound the musicians had ground,
which is full of pits & indeterminacies

they played some pussycat on the radio today
it wasn’t noticed by the cat of our house

Gerry Gilbert
sex + the single mushroom
grOnk inadmissible series 5
1995


Gerry Gilbert taught me to laugh in tough times.

Gerry Gilbert's bicycle