Roo Borson
Encyclopedia
Ruth Elizabeth Borson, who writes under the name Roo Borson (born 20 January 1952 in Berkeley, California
) is a Canadian
poet
who lives in Toronto
. She is a graduate of the University of British Columbia
.
She has received many awards for her work, including the Governor General's Literary Award, 2004, and the Griffin Poetry Prize
, 2005 for Short Journey Upriver Toward Oishida. She currently lives in Toronto with poet Kim Maltman
, and with Kim Maltman and Andy Patton is a member of the collaborative performance poetry ensemble Pain Not Bread.
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
) is a Canadian
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
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
who lives 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...
. She is a graduate of 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...
.
She has received many awards for her work, including the Governor General's Literary Award, 2004, and the Griffin Poetry Prize
Griffin Poetry Prize
The Griffin Poetry Prize is Canada's most generous poetry award. It was founded in 2000 by businessman and philanthropist Scott Griffin. The awards go to one Canadian and one international poet who writes in the English language....
, 2005 for Short Journey Upriver Toward Oishida. She currently lives in Toronto with poet Kim Maltman
Kim Maltman
Kim Maltman is a Canadian poet and physicist who lives in Toronto. He is a professor of Applied Mathematics at York University and pursues research in theoretical nuclear/particle physics.- Works :...
, and with Kim Maltman and Andy Patton is a member of the collaborative performance poetry ensemble Pain Not Bread.
Works
- Landfall (1977), ISBN 0-920110-32-0
- Rain (1980), ISBN 0-920806-19-8
- In the Smoky Light of the Fields (1980), ISBN 0-88823-024-9
- A Sad Device (1981), ISBN 0-86495-011-X
- The Whole Night, Coming Home (1984), ISBN 0-7710-1579-8 (nominated for a Governor General's Award1984 Governor General's AwardsEach winner of the 1984 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit was selected by a panel of judges administered by the Canada Council for the Arts.-Fiction:Winner:*Josef Skvorecky, The Engineer of Human SoulsOther Finalists:...
) - The Transparence of November / Snow (1985), ISBN 0-919627-30-7 (with Kim MaltmanKim MaltmanKim Maltman is a Canadian poet and physicist who lives in Toronto. He is a professor of Applied Mathematics at York University and pursues research in theoretical nuclear/particle physics.- Works :...
) - Intent, or, The Weight of the World (1989), ISBN 0-7710-1588-7
- Night Walk (1994), ISBN 0-19-541082-3 (nominated for a Governor General's Award1995 Governor General's AwardsThe 1995 Governor General's Literary Awards were presented by Roméo LeBlanc, Governor General of Canada on November 14 at the Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto...
) - Water Memory (1996), ISBN 0-7710-1589-5
- Introduction to the Introduction to Wang Wei (2000), ISBN 1-894078-09-8 (by Pain Not BreadPain Not BreadPain Not Bread is a collaborative writing group formed in 1990 by Roo Borson, Kim Maltman, and Andy Patton. The name is derived from the circumstances surrounding the death of the French critic Roland Barthes.-Works:...
) - Short Journey Upriver Toward Oishida (2004), ISBN 0-7710-1591-7 (winner of the 2004 Governor General's Award2004 Governor General's AwardsThe nominees for the 2004 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were announced on October 26. The children's literature winners were announced on November 15, and the other winners were announced on November 16...
, the 2005 Canadian Griffin Poetry PrizeGriffin Poetry PrizeThe Griffin Poetry Prize is Canada's most generous poetry award. It was founded in 2000 by businessman and philanthropist Scott Griffin. The awards go to one Canadian and one international poet who writes in the English language....
and the 2005 Pat Lowther AwardPat Lowther AwardThe Pat Lowther Memorial Award is an annual award presented by the League of Canadian Poets to the year's best book of poetry by a Canadian woman. It is presented in honour of poet Pat Lowther, who was murdered by her husband in 1975. Each winner receives an honorarium of $1000.-Winners:*1981 - M...
) - Personal History (2008) ISBN 1-8971-4121-1
External links
- Griffin Poetry Prize biography
- Griffin Poetry Prize reading, including video clip
- "Summer Grass" from Short Journey Upriver Toward Oishida, online at CBC Words at Large
- Roo Borson's entry in The Canadian Encyclopedia
- Canadian Poetry Online: Roo Borson - Biography and 6 poems (Camouflage, Ten Thousand, Loyalties, Summer's Drug, Save Us From, Leaving the Island)