The Archibald Lampman Award recognizes an outstanding book of English-language poetry by an author living in the National Capital Region.
The jury for the 2015 award were Arleen Paré, E. Alex Pierce and David O’Meara.
2015 Winner
“Congotronic” by Shane Book
The second collection from poet and filmmaker Shane Book, Congotronics riffs on philosophic texts, manifestos and a West African epic in an explosive series of original, unsettling poems. The language is energetic, the imagery vivid, and the territory unstable, as multiple layers of voice, diction and music collide. Sometimes as sparse as prayer, other times jangling with hip-hop rhythms, Congotronics is an original, unnerving book. [2015 Judges]
2015 Shortlist
“House Dreams” by Deanna Young
House Dreams is a subtle exploration of adulthood, that uneasy realm between the expectations of youth and the fears of mounting responsibility. The book quietly surprises with graceful and unsettling images drawn deftly from domestic shadows. A book of both urgency and grace, House Dreams exhibits expert technique and careful metaphor, and its words take on a disturbing dreamlike quality, almost escaping the page. Haunted and haunting, this is a book of plainspoken power and the uncanny imagery that transforms everyday life.
Deanna Young is the author of four books of poetry, including House Dreams, which was shortlisted for the Trilliam Book Award for Poetry, the Ottawa Book Award, the Archibald Lampman Award, and the ReLit Award. Born in the village of Lucan in south-western Ontario, she grew up there, in neighbouring townships, and in the nearby city of London. She now lives in Ottawa, where she teaches poetry privately.
“Metropantheon” by Steven Artelle
Inspired by eastern myth and theology, the Persian epic, Hindu scripture, and other eastern classics, Metropantheon is a gritty, brilliant, and wonderfully eccentric debut collection that seeks to inject a bit of spiritual levity into the rat-race void of western urban life. Judges remarked on the book’s exuberance and imaginative scope, noted its political stance and striking imagery, and sprinted to keep up with its headlong streetwise pace. Able to present completely different but utterly compelling scenes as points of departure for larger mediations on art, politics, history, and contemporary culture, this is a powerful book by a gifted poet.
Arc is grateful for the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Ottawa, as well as many individual supporters. For further information contact Arc Poetry Magazine at managingeditor@arcpoetry.ca.