[New-Poetry] McKay & Wright win Griffin Poetry Prize

[JforJames at aol.com]

_http://thechronicleherald.ca/Books/840689.html_ 
(http://thechronicleherald.ca/Books/840689.html) 
Don McKay wins Griffin Poetry Prize
 
By The Canadian Press 


TORONTO — A veteran Canadian author who has twice won the Governor  General’
s award for poetry was one of two recipients of the prestigious Griffin  
Poetry Prize, awarded Wednesday at a lavish ceremony in Toronto.
 
Canadian Don McKay won for Strike/Slip, his eleventh book of poetry, which  
was lauded by judges as a book of "patience, courage, and quiet  eloquence."
 
The $100,000 award, worth $50,000 each to a Canadian and an international  
recipient, is among the most lucrative poetry prizes in the world.
 
American Charles Wright took the international prize for his book of  poetry, 
Scar Tissue. Wright is a prolific poet and professor who received the  1998 
Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.
 
The audience in Toronto’s trendy Distillery District erupted in applause as  
McKay bounded onstage to receive his award.
 
The 65-year-old poet, a three-time nominee for the Griffin, called his  
victory a "deeply moving experience" and spoke to a recurring theme of the  night: 
whether Canadian poetry is being marginalized.
 
"I don’t think that poetry is in any danger, that it runs deep and will  
always be there. It will survive, with cockroaches, beyond us," he said,  
eliciting a big laugh from the crowd.
 
The British Columbia writer is considered Canada’s top nature poet.
 
McKay said the prize will allow him to continue his research and field  work, 
as well as allow him to lend support to charitable causes that work in  
social and environmental action.
 
The Griffin Poetry Prize was launched seven years ago by Toronto  businessman 
Scott Griffin and a group of writers including Margaret Atwood and  Michael 
Ondaatje, both of whom were present at Wednesday’s ceremony.
 
In each category, the prize is awarded for the best collection of poetry in  
English published during the preceding year.
 
 



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