Raymond Souster was “Up To Date” in 2007-2008

John Robert Colombo and I escorted Raymond Souster to The 2007 Toronto Book Awards. The ceremony was held at The Toronto Reference Library on Yonge Street just north of Bloor Street. The nominees all met in an area where there were refreshments, and then downstairs for Mayor Miller to make the announcement. Raymond did not win but he came away with a cheque for $1000, and his picture taken with the Mayor. The assembled multitude then adjourned to the refreshments once again, and the three of us met Geoffrey James one of the other nominees. Geoffrey had know and admired Souster’s work for many years, and accepted the offer to creat cover photographs for Souster’s next series of New Poetry volumes. I was much relieved I had travelled around the city of Toronto trying to snap suitable photos to use on the cover, all with a singular lack of success; Donna Dunlop had also taken some pictures, and while they were much better than mine, but they were still a very distant second best to Geoffrey’s offer. I got a complete set of page proofs to Geoffrey as soon as possible, and he noted that a wrap around cover with two French Flaps would have a proportion of 12×5, and what you see below is the result. The four photographs speak for themselves, but I will add captions underneath.

“Butterflies in Winter and Other Poems” by Allan Glenn Rose

ISBN-13: 978-1-55246-842-5

“Butterflies in Winter and Other Poems” is an attractive-looking book. The design of both covers is attractive and appropriate for the book’s contents. As for the poems, there is not a “false step” anywhere. The author is a poet who knows what he is doing. He has the talent he needs to sustain the poems he writes. The poetry deserves to be read from a platform or a podium, as the poems and verses beg to be “heard.” There is wit here, a donnish sense of humour, and “shaggy-dog” approach to life and literature. There is also a sense of fun with life and words and pretensions that I like, conveyed by the child’s smiling face on the front cover. — John Robert Colombo