Synopses & Reviews
Poetry. Latino/Latina Studies. A DARK BOAT, a new collection of poetry by Patrick Friesen, is heavily inspired by cante jondo (Spanish "deep song", or flamenco) and fado (Portuguese songs of longing.) Friesen approaches music as a method of weaving his poems with both Spanish and Portuguese aspects of longing, imagistic leaps, and darkness. The poems in A DARK BOAT try to shake hands with the darkness; the kind of darkness that is rich and necessary for a full human life, the darkness of the soil into which seeds drop and grow, the darkness of the grave into which the body is lowered. These elusive and emotional poems say much, while telling as little as possible.
About the Author
Patrick Friesen writes poetry, essays, drama, scripts, songs, and text for dance and music. The author of over a dozen books of poetry, Friesen has also collaborated with various musicians, including Big Dave McLean, Cate Friesen, and Marilyn Lerner, and with choreographers/dancers Margie Gillis, Stephanie Ballard, and Ruth Cansfield. Friesen also teaches, part-time, as an instrucor in the Writing Department at the University of Victoria. He is the author of the poetry collections jumping in the asylum (Quattro Books, 2011) and A DARK BOAT (Anvil Press, 2012). Formerly of Winnipeg, Friesen now lives in Brentwood Bay on Vancouver Island.