Mix Six

Edward L. Edmonds is a professor of education at the University of
Prince Edward Island and Honorary Chief of the Mi'kmaq of Prince Edward
Island.

Mix Six comprises short selections from six Ontario poets. Each section
is prefaced by a photograph of the poet and a biographical profile. All
six poets draw inspiration from everyday life with an astonishing sense
of immediacy. All use the rhythms and vocabulary of “common
vernacular.” Several poems should be read aloud for maximum impact.
They express varying moods: lyricism in “Better to love roses,”
pathos in “Still Life,” poignancy in several poems about cancer, a
world of pity in “James in the Public Eye,” stark horror in “The
Ypres Salient.” There are striking images—“ghost-faced waves,”
“prattle-lathered palaver,” “death-mortared hill.” This most
readable collection is strongly recommended for inclusion in both home
and institutional libraries.