My Definition of a Bombastic Prose Style

Every once in a while, I am awed by the power of words, and this afternoon was one of those instances.

Poet and novelist George Elliot Clarke gave a reading of his verse novel I&I at Red River College today, as part of Thin Air Winnipeg International Writer’s Festival’s Campus Program.

I recently read Clarke’s novel, George & Rue for my Canadian Literature class, and had been looking forward to the reading all week. Many of my classmates who, forgivably enough, seemed a bit indifferent going in. Within minutes, the amiable and energetic Clarke had turned admirers into life-long fans, and ho-hum non-readers into converts.

Apologies for the poor audio.

An Alliterative Audience Assault

Clarke, winner of the Governor General’s Award for Poetry for Execution Poems, is the most engaging writer I’ve ever had the privilege of seeing. He greeted the audience at 11:05 a.m. with a broad smile, and by 11:10 he was thumping along at break-neck speed through line after glorious line of prose, like a trumpet player burning in musical ecstasy. He didn’t so much read to the audience, as testify like a revivalist preacher.

Clarke was equal parts funny and cerebral, raunchy and academic, subtle and gross. He danced effortlessly from topic to topic; from his love of Italian Giallo films,70s pop music and Quentin Tarantino, to the writing process, and the history of slavery in North America.

It was awesome, and inspiring in the truest sense of the word.

First-Year Creative Communications student Jeremy Williams was first out of the gate during the Q&A, saying to Clarke, “Damn you for making me interested in poetry.” Clarke and the rest of the room had a great laugh at this, but I think it summarized what a lot of people were thinking. Going in, they expected the stereotypical, bookish, introspective and dry navel-gazer poet, but what they got defied categorization. I spoke to dozens of students afterward who were absolutely blown away.

Not sure how to end this other than to say that as a student working on a first novel, this was the best kick-off to a weekend of writing I could possibly ask for.

‘Nuff Said.

-Jay

Thin Air presents After Words: George Elliott Clarke reading from his verse novel I&I, tonight at Aqua Books, 274 Garry St., at 10:30 p.m. Admission is free.