BpNichol
Encyclopedia
Barrie Phillip Nichol who often went by his lower-case initials and last name, with no spaces (bpNichol), was a Canadian
poet. He became widely known for his concrete poetry
while living there in the 1960s. He received his elementary teaching certificate from the University of British Columbia
in 1963, but he only worked a brief stint as a teacher. He had audited creative writing courses while in university, and his life moved in that direction after about a year of teaching.
His most famous published work is probably The Martyrology, a long poem encompassing 9 books in 6 volumes.
Nichol also worked in a wide variety of other genres, including musical theatre
, children's books
, collage
/assemblage, pamphlet
s, spoken word
, computer texts, fiction, and television. For having such a brief lifespan, Nichol produced a highly prolific volume of work. However, it was often ephemeral, such as performance.
for poetry.
In 1970, he began to collaborate with fellow poets Rafael Barreto-Rivera, Paul Dutton
, and Steve McCaffery
, forming the sound-poetry group The Four Horsemen. "Earlick", a project devoted to collecting and performing songs written by Canadian writers and poets, was undertaken in 1986-88 in collaboration with Victor Coleman and Whitney Smith.
He was known as a promoter of poetry and the small press, a manipulator of the lines between genres, and a prolific Canadian word artist. He founded Ganglia Press in 1965 with David Aylward and grOnk (magazine) in 1967 with bill bissett
and David UU (David W. Harris)
.
film Sons of Captain Poetry (1970); in Borders, a small phonodisc included with his poetic work Journeying & the returns (1967); and in the long-playing record Motherlove (1968). Also, the 1998 film bp/pushing the boundaries was made on Nichol and his contributions to art by Brian Nash (director) and Elizabeth Yake (producer).
A street in Toronto
, Canada, is named in his honour. bpNichol Lane is located in the Annex
district behind Coach House Press. It features an eight-line poem by Nichol carved into the pavement: "A / LAKE / A / LANE / A / LINE / A / LONE". (An employee at Coach House regularly waters the word "LAKE".)
From 'The Capitain Poetry Poems' (1971)
(and many others)
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
poet. He became widely known for his concrete poetry
Concrete poetry
Concrete poetry or shape poetry is poetry in which the typographical arrangement of words is as important in conveying the intended effect as the conventional elements of the poem, such as meaning of words, rhythm, rhyme and so on....
while living there in the 1960s. He received his elementary teaching certificate from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
in 1963, but he only worked a brief stint as a teacher. He had audited creative writing courses while in university, and his life moved in that direction after about a year of teaching.
His most famous published work is probably The Martyrology, a long poem encompassing 9 books in 6 volumes.
Nichol also worked in a wide variety of other genres, including musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, children's books
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
, collage
Collage
A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole....
/assemblage, pamphlet
Pamphlet
A pamphlet is an unbound booklet . It may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths , or it may consist of a few pages that are folded in half and saddle stapled at the crease to make a simple book...
s, spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
, computer texts, fiction, and television. For having such a brief lifespan, Nichol produced a highly prolific volume of work. However, it was often ephemeral, such as performance.
Biography
Although Nichol had been writing since 1961, he first attracted public notice in the mid-1960s with his hand-drawn or "concrete" poems, and received international acclaim. The "visual book" Still water, together with the booklets The true eventual story of Billy the Kid and Beach Head as well as the anthology of concrete poetry, The cosmic chef, won the Governor General's AwardGovernor General's Award
The Governor General's Awards are a collection of awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, marking distinction in a number of academic, artistic and social fields. The first was conceived in 1937 by Lord Tweedsmuir, a prolific author of fiction and non-fiction who created the Governor...
for poetry.
In 1970, he began to collaborate with fellow poets Rafael Barreto-Rivera, Paul Dutton
Paul Dutton
Paul Dutton is a Canadian poet, novelist, essayist, and oral sound artist.-Early life and career:A member of the legendary Four Horsemen sound poetry quartet , along with Rafael Barreto-Rivera, Steve McCaffery, and the late bpNichol, Dutton married his soundsinging oralities and harmonica-playing...
, and Steve McCaffery
Steve McCaffery
Steven McCaffery is a Canadian poet and scholar who was a professor at York University. He currently holds the Gray Chair at SUNY Buffalo . McCaffery was born in Sheffield, England and lived in the UK for most of his youth attending University of Hull. He moved to Toronto in 1968...
, forming the sound-poetry group The Four Horsemen. "Earlick", a project devoted to collecting and performing songs written by Canadian writers and poets, was undertaken in 1986-88 in collaboration with Victor Coleman and Whitney Smith.
He was known as a promoter of poetry and the small press, a manipulator of the lines between genres, and a prolific Canadian word artist. He founded Ganglia Press in 1965 with David Aylward and grOnk (magazine) in 1967 with bill bissett
Bill Bissett
bill bissett is a Canadian poet famous for his anti-conventional style. He often does not capitalise his name or use capital letters.-Life:...
and David UU (David W. Harris)
David UU (David W. Harris)
David UU , or David W. Harris, is considered an accomplished concrete and experimental poet and an important small press publisher. Along with bill bissett and bpNichol, he was a pioneer of the concrete poetry movement in Canada, and perhaps the first Canadian poet to explore visual collage...
.
Commemoration
His early work in sound poetry was documented in Michael Ondaatje'sMichael Ondaatje
Philip Michael Ondaatje , OC, is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian novelist and poet of Burgher origin. He is perhaps best known for his Booker Prize-winning novel, The English Patient, which was adapted into an Academy-Award-winning film.-Life and work:...
film Sons of Captain Poetry (1970); in Borders, a small phonodisc included with his poetic work Journeying & the returns (1967); and in the long-playing record Motherlove (1968). Also, the 1998 film bp/pushing the boundaries was made on Nichol and his contributions to art by Brian Nash (director) and Elizabeth Yake (producer).
A street in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada, is named in his honour. bpNichol Lane is located in the Annex
The Annex
The Annex is a neighbourhood in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The traditional boundaries of the neighbourhood are north to Dupont Street, south to Bloor Street, west to Bathurst Street and east to Avenue Road...
district behind Coach House Press. It features an eight-line poem by Nichol carved into the pavement: "A / LAKE / A / LANE / A / LINE / A / LONE". (An employee at Coach House regularly waters the word "LAKE".)
Poetry
- Cycles Etc. (7 Flowers Press, 1965)
- Scraptures: second sequence (Ganglia Press, 1965)
- Cold Mountain. Singing Hands Series 3 (1966)
- Journeying & the returns (1967)
- Konfessions of an Elizabethan Fan Dancer (Writers Forum Quartos, 1967; Weed Flower Press, 1973; Coach House BooksCoach House BooksCoach House Books is an independent Canadian publishing company located in Toronto, Ontario. Coach House publishes innovative and experimental poetry, fiction, drama and non-fiction. The press is particularly interested in writing that pushes at the boundaries of convention.-History:The company was...
, 2004) - Still Water (TalonbooksTalonbooksTalonbooks is an independent publisher of Canadian literature, whose repertoire features authors writing in the literary genres of poetry, fiction and drama, as well as non-fiction books in the fields of ethnography, environmental and social issues, cultural studies, and literary criticism.The...
, 1970) - Monotones (1971)
- The Captain Poetry Poems (1971)
- The Martyrology, Books 1 and 2 (1972) - Complete text (Martyology 1 - 6) at Coach House Books
- Love: A book of remembrances (TalonbooksTalonbooksTalonbooks is an independent publisher of Canadian literature, whose repertoire features authors writing in the literary genres of poetry, fiction and drama, as well as non-fiction books in the fields of ethnography, environmental and social issues, cultural studies, and literary criticism.The...
, 1974) - The Martyrology, Books 3 and 4 (1976)
- Selected Writing: As Elected (TalonbooksTalonbooksTalonbooks is an independent publisher of Canadian literature, whose repertoire features authors writing in the literary genres of poetry, fiction and drama, as well as non-fiction books in the fields of ethnography, environmental and social issues, cultural studies, and literary criticism.The...
, 1980) - The Martyrology, Book 5 (1982)
- First Screening (computer poems) (1984)
- Zygal: A Book of Mysteries & Translations (1985) - Complete text at Coach House Books
- The Martyrology, Book 6 Books (1987)*Gifts: The Martyrology Book[s] 7& (1990)
- Ad Sanctos (a choral performance work) (1993)
Booklets
- Ballads of the Restless Are (The Runcible Spoon, 1968)
- The true eventual story of Billy the Kid (1970)
- Beach Head (1970)
- Transformational Unit (1971) - Complete text at Coach House Books
- Aleph Unit (1973) - Complete text at Coach House Books
- From 'The Capitain Poetry Poems' (1971)
From 'The Capitain Poetry Poems' (1971)
(and many others)
Prose
- Two Novels (1969)
- Craft dinner (1978)
- Journal (1978)
- Still (1982), winner of the Three-Day Novel ContestThree-Day Novel ContestThe Three-Day Novel Contest is an annual Canadian literary contest conducted in September of each year. The contest, which is open to writers from anywhere in the world, gives entrants three days to write a novel...
Visual Books
- Still water (1970)
- ABC: the Aleph Beth book (1971)
- Extreme Positions (Longspoon Press, 1981)
Television
- Fraggle RockFraggle RockFraggle Rock is a children's live action puppet television program series created by Jim Henson. The central characters were a set of "Muppet" creatures called Fraggles. The show ran from January 10, 1983, to March 30, 1987, on CBC Television in Canada, ITV in the UK, HBO in the United States,...
(co-writer with Dennis LeeDennis Lee (author)Dennis Beynon Lee, OC, MA is a Canadian poet, teacher, editor, and critic born in Toronto, Ontario. He is also a children's writer, well known for his book of children's rhymes, Alligator Pie.-Life:...
and David YoungDavid Young (Canadian playwright)David Samuel D'Arcy Young is a Canadian playwright, novelist, and screenwriter.Born in Oakville, Ontario, Young studied at the University of Western Ontario...
) - Care BearsCare BearsThe Care Bears are characters created by American Greetings in 1981 for use on greeting cards. The original artwork for the cards was painted by artist Elena Kucharik. In 1983, Kenner turned the Care Bears into plush teddy bears...
(animated series) - Blizzard Island
External links
- First Screening (computer poems)
- bpNichol.ca (an online archive for bpNichol)
- Writing.upenn.edu, Sound poems
- Thing.net, Homepage Away From Home for bpNichol
- UBU.com (.mp3 files)
- Movingimages.ca, bp/pushing the boundaries
- Working notes for Justinstephenson.com, "The Complete Works", an in progress film production based on his work
- Mongrelmedia.com, Films by Michael Ondaatje
- bpNichol PCWF.ca, Chapbook Award, annual literary award given in his memory