This impressive regular periodical includes a smorgasbord of local poetic talent, mostly in French but always with a smattering of English (they’d print more of it if they got it, too). With up to four different people’s work on each page, each issue features literally dozens of different poets and visual artists. Themes range from the serious to the humorous, from the personal to the political. What’s immediately obvious to an English reader is the number of English words, lines and titles used by the poets. Indeed, some poems themselves go from one to the other, and can be considered fully bilingual. An example: “Let’s Go to War, Call H.I.S.S.” by Martin Sasseville: “Let’s go to war, Calisse!!! Relevons l’economie/Let’s go to war, calisse!!! Il nous faut des nouveaux vétérans” etc. There’s so much here that it’s hard for me to single out what’s good vs. bad, what I liked vs. I didn’t. The styles vary so much from one piece to the next that they can’t really be compared. All I know is each issue is perfect for a few weeks’ residence in my bathroom. (Louis Rastelli)
periodical, vol. 2, #36, 40 pgs., bilingual, $2 from Le Chercheur des Trésors, 1339 Ontario E., Montreal, Quebec, H2L 1R8