The Mossbank Canon

Bruce K. Filson was a freelance writer and critic residing in Chesterville, Ontario.

This book is an experiment in literary form. It is a series of 64 six-line stanzas based on the 64 hexagrams of I Ching, a Chinese classic in which each of the possible combinations of six unbroken (yang) or broken (yin) lines becomes a source of cryptic, imaginative musings. Laid into this fascinating scheme is the story of a Chinese immigrant to Saskatchewan named Jong, as well as the story of Mao Tse-Tung. E.F. Dyck is known as the editor of Grain and has one other book of poems behind him, OdPoems Et. The Mossbank Canon will establish his uniqueness as a poet.

An experiment it is, and as such its potential value remains to be proven. Perhaps Robert Kroetsch’s opinion of him (“Ed Dyck, who is what happens to literature after postmodern”) will prove meaningful. In the meantime, it’s overblown rhetoric. Whether there’s a postmodern movement at all is debatable, let alone after postmodern, whatever that is.

Approach this book with a large dose of “benefit of the doubt.” The form gives forth many gems of tight little meditative poems. The Chinese immigrant story that informs them is interesting and well-researched. The extra layer of Mao’s story, however, confuses an already complicated issue, making the whole of the book too ambitious. A story is linear but I Ching is not based on linearity. The story lines are jammed into I Ching form. Clarity is sacrificed without reason.

I also take Dyck to task for failing to fulfill his own requirements. Some lines that are supposedly “broken,” such as “to fall in love : with a journalism student,” are really “unbroken.” The reverse flaw can also be found.

Nonetheless, Dyck has caused East to meet West in a curious and poetic way. The reader of poetry looking for something a little different will be challenged and impressed.