Canadian Poetry Association

The Canadian Poetry Association began as a grass-roots organization dedicated to promoting the reading, writing, publishing and preservation of poetry in Canada through the individual efforts of members; promoting communication among poets, publishers and the general public; encouraging leadership and participation from members and to encourage the formation and development of autonomous local chapters.^[1] It began in Toronto, Ontario, as a collective on 16 January 1985 with its first Board of Directors: Shaunt Basmajian, James Deahl, Wayne Ray, Beverley Daurio, Chris Faiers, & Ted Plantos , and after 25 years has reformed its aims and objectives and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The CPA published POEMATA, a quarterly journal for its members and the general public, filled with poetry, articles news and literary contests. The CPA sponsored the Shaunt Basmajian Chapbook Award and several other poetry and chapbook contests open to both members and the general public. Social media is on Facebook.

Small Press Poetry Reference Collection

In 1986 the National Coordinator established a collection of Small Press publications which soon grew to over 1800 titles. The collection was first housed at the Fitzgerald Building on the campus of the University of Toronto and twenty years later was donated to the university. In the early 1990s sets of author's books were sent across Canada to small libraries in Newfoundland and Labrador, British Columbia and small towns in Ontario. Duplicates of titles were sent out to new members as they joined the organization.^[2]

Basmajian Chapbook Award

The Shaunt Basmajian Chapbook Award, established in 1996, was an annual prize given by the Canadian Poetry Association. It was named in memory of Shaunt Basmajian, a founder of the association. It was an annual manuscript publication competition and award. The contest was open to members and non-members alike and was administered by the Writers Resource Center in London, Ontario as of November each year. 2008 was the final year of the contest.

• 1997 Roger Bell, Luke and the Wolf
• 1998 Alice Major, Scenes from the Sugar Bowl Café
• 1999 Liz Zetlin, The Gourd Poems
• 2000 Linda Rogers, Grief Sits Down
• 2001 Sue Chenette, The Time Between Us
• 2002 K. V. Skene, Only a Dragon.
• 2003 Louise Murphy]], Pilgrimage
• 2004 K. V. Skene, Calendar of Rain
• 2005 kevin mcpherson eckhoff, signs of divorce and Cornelia Hoogland Second Marriage
• 2006 Kate Marshall Flaherty, Unfathom
• 2007 Vicki Goodfellow Duke, The Year We Quit Believing
• 2008 J. J. Steinfeld, Where War Finds You

Signature Series

• 2001 SIX Voices: Editor: Richard Grove
• 2002 Windfall: A CPA Member's Anthology Editor: Leda Lubynskyj
• 2002 Oval Victory: A CPA Anthology Editor: Linda Rogers
• 2003 Handprints on the Future Editor: Gordon Gilhuly

References

External links

• Canadian Poetry Association, official website