Some of these poems have appeared in Arc Poetry Magazine, Dinosaur Porn (Ferno House/The Emergency Response Unit, 2010), The Fiddlehead, Ottawater, The Puritan, This Magazine, The Week Shall Inherit the Verse, Toronto Poetry Vendors, Wascana Review, and the Windsor Review, as well as the chapbooks Useful Knots and How to Tie Them (The Emergency Response Unit, 2008) and Mean Matt and Other Shitty People (Ferno House, 2012). Thanks to all who produced these publications.
Thanks to the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council for their generous support.
‘That’s what she said’ is for Leigh Nash.
‘This time with feeling’ and ‘Big sighs’ owe a debt to Christian Hawkey’s poem ‘Up here in the rafters everything is clear’ (The Book of Funnels, Verse Press, 2004).
‘Found: The smell of gas’ is a cento of lines taken from a number of Canadian poets.
‘Notes on a theme’ is after a line by the band The Hold Steady.
All the text in ‘Found: Pre-alpha version of a better self’ appeared in various forms on andrewfaulkner.com and the now-defunct andrewfaulkner.net and andrewfaulkner.co.uk.
‘Head’ is after a poem by Jeramy Dodds.
High fives to everyone at Coach House for their endless big-hearted work. Big hugs to family for their support, especially Jean, Steve and Ben.
Thanks to Spencer Gordon, Mat Laporte, Elisabeth de Mariaffi, Jeff Latosik, Aaron Tucker and Nicholas Lea for comments and advice on earlier drafts of the manuscript. And thanks to Dionne Brand, Karen Solie and my classmates and faculty for thoughtful readings of my work throughout my time in the University of Guelph’s MFA in Creative Writing program.
Thanks to Kevin Connolly for early edits and encouragement. Thanks to Jeramy Dodds for his sharp and tireless eye, and unerring insight.
Last but biggest thanks to Leigh, my first and best reader, for her love, large brain and unwavering attention to detail.