Critic’s Desk Award – past winners

2022

• Feature Review: Klara du Plessis, “Verso Versus Verso: Jordan Abel, Dionne Brand, and the Left-Hand Page” (Arc 95)
• Brief Review: Tanis MacDonald, “Dealing the Deck: Lauren Turner’s The Only Card in a Deck of Knives” (Arc website, December 2021)
• Judge: Susan Gillis

 

2021

• Feature Review: Marilyn Dumont, “Whose Voice Are You Resounding?” (Arc 92)
• Brief Review: Carolyn Nakagawa, “Ambivalent Inheritance: my yt mama by Mercedes Eng” (Arc website, October 2020)
• Judge: Adrian De Leon

 

2020

• Feature Review: Sanchari Sur, “In Search of Home: Three Perspectives on What It Means to Belong” (Arc 88)
• Brief Review: Carl Watts on Ekke by Klara du Plessis (Arc 89)
• Judge: Shane Neilson

 

2019

• Feature Review: Kai Cheng Thom, “Re-Membering the Body: Joshua Jennifer Espinoza’s There Should Be Flowers” (Arc 87)
• Brief Review: Kim Trainor on Après Satie—For Two and Four Hands by Dean Steadman (Arc 85)
• Judge: Jacqueline Valencia

 

2018

• Feature Review: Joshua Whitehead, “Making Love to Make Live: Kihcihtâkosiwi-Nikamowin” (Arc 84)
• Brief Review: Sarah Burgoyne, “There’s Stuff Between Things: Aisha Sasha John’s I have to live,” (Arc website, November 2017)
• Judge: Adèle Barclay

 

2017

• Feature Review: Ben Gallagher, “Reports, Laments, Rituals, Rumours” (Arc 81)
• Brief Review: Phoebe Wang, “Imagining a Legacy: Elise Partridge’s The Exiles’ Gallery” (Arc website, March 2016)
• Judge: Adele Barclay (CWILA Critic-in Residence)

 

2016

• Feature Review: Patricia Keeney “And Death Shall Have No Dominion” (Arc 76)
• Brief Review: Jamie Bradley on The Counting House by Sandra Ridley (Arc 76)

 

2015

• Feature Review: Margaret Christakos, “Weight, Rise and Riffle: Jordan Abel’s Exuberant Excisions in The Place of Scraps” (Arc website, Feb 2014)
• Brief Review: Rachael Wyatt on Richard Norman’s Zero Kelvin (Arc website, Dec 2014)
• Judge: Lucas Crawford (CWILA critic-in-residence)

 

2014

• Feature Review: Patricia Keeney, “Seasoned Poets and Pioneers” (Arc 70)
• Brief Review: Margaret Christakos on Red Doc by Anne Carson (Arc 71)
• Judge: Shannon Webb-Campbell (CWILA critic-in-residence)

 

2013

• Feature Review: Zachariah Wells, “Attention Paid, Taylor Made” (Arc 68)
• Brief Review: Stevie Howell on Sweet by Dani Couture (Arc 67)
• Judge: Rhonda Douglas

 

2012

• Feature Review: Patricia Keeney, “GG offer dazzle vs. wisdom” (Arc website, fall 2011)
• Brief Review: Shane Neilson on Witness by Patrick Lane (Arc website, winter 2011)
• Judge: Luke Hathaway

 

2011

• Feature Review: Luke Hathaway, “Listening to Margaret Avison” (Arc 64)
• Brief Review: Asa Boxer on Athena Becomes a Swallow by Brent MacLaine (Arc 64)
• Judge: Richard Greene

 

2010

• Feature Review: [none]
• Brief Review: Chris Jennings on Dead Cars in Managua by Stuart Ross (Arc 63)
• Judge: Judith Herz

 

2009

• Feature Review: Carmine Starnino, “Arriving Early” on Noble Gas, Penny Black by David O’Meara (Arc 62)
• Brief Review: Zachariah Wells on Earthly Pages: The Poetry of Don Domanski (ed. Brian Bartlett) (Arc 61)
• Judge: Russell Brown

 

2008

• Feature Review: Abou Farman, “Poetry of Inquiry” on The Rush to Here by George Murray, and Ox by Christopher Patton (Arc 59)
• Brief Review: Katia Grubisic on Last Water Song by Patrick Lane (Arc 60)
• Judge: Matthew Holmes

 

2007

• Feature Review: Triny Finlay, “Back to the Modern: three Ottawa Poets” (Arc 57)
• Brief Review: Christopher Doda on apostrophe by Bill Kennedy & Darren-Wershler Henry (Arc 57)
• Judge: Frank Davey

 

2006

• Feature Review: Abou Farman “History’s Hollow” (Arc 54)
• Brief Review: Zachariah Wells on Free Will by Harold Rhenisch (Arc 54)
• Judge: George Elliott Clarke

 

2005

• Feature Review: Harold Rhenisch, “Five Laureates on the Red Earth Road” (Arc 53)
• Brief Review: Zachariah Wells on Hey, Crumbling Balcony! Poems New & Selected by Stuart Ross (Arc 52)
• Judge: Smaro Kamboureli

 

2004

• Feature Review: Bruce Whiteman on Flint and Feather: The Life and Times of E. Pauline Johnson Tekahionwake by Charlotte Gray (Arc 51)
• Brief Review: Christopher Doda on Happyland by Kevin Connolly (Arc 51)
• Judge: David Staines

 

2003 (Initial year – for 25th anniversary)

• Feature Review: Harold Rhenisch on Shani Mootoo and Joy Kogawa (Arc 48)
• Brief Review: Heather Spears on Karen Solie (Arc 49)
• Judge: Barbara Carey