CLASSIFICATION
Swallow ID:
8306
Partner Institution:
University of Calgary
Source Collection Label:
Alden Nowlan fonds
Sub Series:
Alden Nowlan fonds
ITEM DESCRIPTION
Title:
Poetry Reading at U.N.B. 1979 Writer’s Workshop
Title Source:
Transcribed from the artifact
Language:
English
Production Context:
Classroom recording
Identifiers:
[3.1.2]
Rights
Rights:
In Copyright (InC)
Notes:
Enters Public Domain at the end of 2029
CREATORS
Name:
Nowlan, Alden
Dates:
1933-1983
CONTRIBUTORS
MATERIAL DESCRIPTION
Recording Type:
Analogue
AV Type:
Audio
Material Designation:
Cassette
Physical Composition:
Magnetic Tape
Extent:
1/8 inch
Side:
A and B
Tape Brand:
Concertape
Sound Quality:
Good
Physical Condition:
Good
DIGITAL FILE DESCRIPTION
Duration:
T00:43:43
Size:
80.05 MB
Dates
Date:
1979-07
Type:
Performance Date
Notes:
Dates taken from container and/or accompanying material.
LOCATION
Address:
3, Bailey Drive, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Venue:
University of New Brunswick
Latitude:
[45.945530250000004]
Longitude:
[-66.64018313486694]
CONTENT
Contents:
Alden Nowlan
[00:02:55]
Reads "I, Icarus".
Alden Nowlan
[00:04:36]
Reads "Daughter of Zion".
Alden Nowlan
[00:06:36]
Reads "A Picnic in Times Square".
Alden Nowlan
[00:07:21]
Reads "The Fresh-Ploughed Hill".
Alden Nowlan
[00:08:18]
Reads "The Beggars of Dublin".
Alden Nowlan
[00:11:00]
Reads "A Tiger in the Dublin Zoo".
Alden Nowlan
[00:12:43]
Reads "He Grows in Understanding".
Alden Nowlan
[00:13:25]
Reads "A Poem for George Frederick Clarke".
Alden Nowlan
[00:16:05]
Reads "Cornflowers".
Alden Nowlan
[00:17:16]
Reads "On Events of Varying Importance".
Alden Nowlan
[00:19:18]
Reads "Night Flight from Montreal".
Alden Nowlan
[00:21:15]
Reads "On Being the Subject of a Documentary".
Alden Nowlan
[00:25:40]
Reads "A Very Common Prescription".
Alden Nowlan
[00:28:10]
Reads "The Red Wool Shirt".
Alden Nowlan
[00:30:18]
Reads "The Carpenter’s Misfortunes".
Alden Nowlan
[00:31:45]
Reads "Election Song".
Alden Nowlan
[00:32:58]
Reads "In the Blood".
Alden Nowlan
[00:35:26]
Reads "Ypres: 1915".
Notes:
- [00:00:00] Introduction of Alden Nowlan by male speaker. This workshop occurring during Alden Nowlan’s time as Writer in Residence at UNB.
- [00:02:05] Alden Nowlan begins speaking
- [00:06:36] Prefatory remarks, one of Alden Nowlan’s favourite poems. “A Picnic in Times Square”
- [00:11:00] Prefatory remarks on zoos, Alden Nowlan finds them depressing places but this tiger struck him as different. “A Tiger in the Dublin Zoo”
- [00:12:43] “He Grows in Understanding”
o - [00:13:20] Laughter and clapping at end of poem
- [00:13:25] Prefatory remarks on how this poem is special to him and the epistolic form, written for his friend George Frederick Clarke. “A Poem for George Frederick Clarke”
o Reads final line as “and yes, / such reticence” instead of “yes, / and such reticence”
- [00:19:18] Prefatory remarks on everyday people hijacking airplanes and his sympathy. “Night Flight from Montreal”
o Reads final line as “I must ask the police what / will happen to my luggage” instead of “Asking the police what / will happen to my luggage”
- [00:21:15] Prefatory remarks on strange experience of being the subject of a documentary film; a new experience for him, he had naively assume that the camera would follow you around etc. Actually wanted you to perform as yourself, which is very difficult. “On Being the Subject of a Documentary”
- [00:25:40] Prefatory remarks. “A Very Common Prescription”
- [00:28:10] Prefatory remarks, trying to capture something of the power of expression of so-called ordinary people in very extraordinary situations. “The Red Wool Shirt”
- [00:30:18] Prefatory remarks, it’s a found poem, something Alden Nowlan says he doesn’t do very often. “The Carpenter’s Misfortunes”
- [00:31:45] Prefatory remarks on fifth Prime Minster of Canada and his being forgotten. “Election Song”
- [00:32:58] Prefatory remarks on re-encountering people as an adult. “In the Blood”
- [00:35:26] Prefatory remarks, wrote this poem a number of years ago and is recently revisiting and revising. In 1915, battle in a town in Belgium where poison gas was used for the first time by the Nazis. It appeared like something out of science fiction. Started to write this poem on Remembrance Day. “Ypres: 1915”
o A few differences from published version; Alden Nowlan himself acknowledges that he is working on its revision. Some removals or additions of words/phrases.
o Frenchmen leaving: “brandishing their swords, / weeping / for the dishonour of it all”
o The fisherman’s dialect is more colloquial: “and yup” instead of “yes”
o Billy MacNally: in this reading is specifically “from Britain Street from the South End of Saint John, New Brunswick”
“I, Icarus” – “Picnic” published in Bread, Wine and Salt
“Beggars” – “On Events” published in Between Tears and Laughter
“Night Flight” – “Documentary” published in I’m a Stranger Here Myself
“Prescription” – “In the Blood” published in Smoked Glass
“Ypres: 1915” published in The Mysterious Naked Man
NOTES
RELATED WORKS
Citation:
Bread, Wine and Salt (1967), Smoked Glass (1977), Between Tears and Laughter (1971), The Mysterious Naked Man (1969), I'm a Stranger Here Myself (1974)