John Thompson for Poet Laureate

John Thompson - master of the Persian stanza form known as the 'ghazal,' was a Sackville poet who influenced a whole generation of Canadian writers: notably Michael Ondaatje and his contemporaries. While Thompson's poems are usually not noted as being ones that deal distinctly with the New Brunswick landscape and New Brunswick culture (and therefore often more overlooked within New Brunswick literary circles than the works of authors like Alden Nowlan and David Adams Richards), his poems are among the best and the most internationally anthologized of Canadian poetry. Thompson's works, emerging from the burgeoning postmodern context of the 60's and 70's, should be read always by students of Canadian Lit alongside novels such as Beautiful Losers, and the early poems of Ondaatje, Atwood, and Purdy. Thompson's lyrical voice, with so many divergent cross-cultural influences, along with his interesting and tragic history should make him a Canadian (and of course New Brunswickan) historical literary figure of infinite interest... and I nominate him for naked east's New Brunswick Poet Laureate!

Submitted by Cameron MacLean.

Please note: naked east is compiling, alongside current nominations, a list of posthumous PL's.
Nominate accordingly!