bill bissett reads from Selected Poems: Beyond Even Faithful Legends. Vancouver: Talonbooks, 1980, lost angel mining company. Vancouver: Blew Ointment Press, 1969, Nobody Owns th Earth. Toronto: House of Anasi Press, 1971, OF TH LAND DIVINE SERIES. Toronto: Weed/Flower Press, 1968.

Annotation

00:00:00.00

[Starts mid-sentence] Reads “3. i have evn herd uv thee” from OF TH LAND DIVINE SERVICE, starting with line "...I had even heard of thee, and that the spirit of the gods is in thee..."

 

Annotation

00:01:12.76

Reads “4” from OF TH LAND DIVINE SERVICE first line "A chain of gold which out of the children..."

 

Annotation

00:04:44.36

Reads "The molecular robbery".

 

Annotation

00:11:09.47

Reads first line "Sung to the tune of Michael rowed his boat ashore..."

 

Annotation

00:13:40.14

Reads "Killer Whale".

 

Annotation

00:18:04.80

Reads “5. And that light is in thee is in thee and” from OF TH LAND DIVINE SERVICE

first line "...and that light is in thee..."

 

Annotation

00:19:20.96

Reads “6. And in all things did even as Adam had done” from OF TH LAND DIVINE SERVICE.

 

Annotation

00:20:48.09

Reads “and the green wind is mooving thru th summr trees” from lost angel mining company and from OF TH LAND DIVINE SERVICE, first line "A green wind is moving through the summer trees..."

 

Annotation

00:22:36.89

Reads “Circles in th Sun” from lost angel mining company, first line "In the mushroom village, all the little children, brightly smiling..."

 

Annotation

00:24:13.27

Reads “Walrus Song” from lost angel mining company, first line "Drink all the lime you can..."

 

Annotation

00:33:09.70

Reads first line "So that even yourself becomes a serene stranger..."

 

Annotation

00:37:14.17

Reads "The flaming end, eight beautiful people on a bus..."

 

Annotation

00:47:44.62

[CUT] ...absolutely nothing there but to do with living..."

 

Annotation

00:50:25.62

Reads first line "Could we grow [inaudible] in the bomb shelter?..."

 

Annotation

00:51:09.18

Reads "Another 100 warrants issued"

 

Annotation

00:53:36.07

Reads first line "The water falls in your mind and you get wet too..."

 

Annotation

00:58:25.84

Reads first line "The moon is [inaudible] she screamed, listen closely she said..."

 

Annotation

01:02:02.69

Reads first line "Sparrows dream of the endless sun..."

 

Annotation

01:02:32.14

Reads “tarzan collage”, first line "Speaking, speaking, speaking, the I is speaking..." [applause]

 

bill bissett

01:05:02.94

Just as you leave I'll just do this little thing, just keep going though. [Reads first line "Bright, yellow, sky..."]

 

Annotation

01:06:18.3

Reads “moss song”, first line "See the berries ripen in the trees..."

 

Annotation

01:14:13.27

END OF RECORDING

References

bissett, bill. Selected Poems: Beyond Even Faithful Legends. Vancouver: Talonbooks, 1980.

---. lost angel mining company. Vancouver: Blew Ointment Press, 1969

---. Nobody Owns th Earth. Toronto: House of Anasi Press, 1971

---. OF TH LAND DIVINE SERIES. Toronto: Weed/Flower Press, 1968

Bowering, George, ed. The Contemporary Canadian Poem Anthology. Toronto: Coach House Press, 1984.

Davey, Frank. From There to Here: A Guide to English-Canadian Literature Since 1960, Our Nature-Our Voices II. Erin, Ontario: Press Porcepic, 1974

Mandel, Eli (ed). Poets of Contemporary Canada 1960-1970. Montreal: McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1972.

Stephen Scobie "Bissett, Bill"  The Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature. Eugene Benson and William Toye. Oxford University Press 2001. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Concordia University Library, Montreal.  16 September 2009. <http://0-www.oxfordreference.com.mercury.concordia.ca/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t201.e125>.

 

Transcript, Research, Introduction and Edits by Celyn Harding-Jones

bill bissett at SGWU, 1969

Tape
Catalog numberI006-11-083
Duration01:14:13
Sound qualityGood
Reading
Speakersbill bissett
VenueH-651 -- Mixed Lounge
DateOct. 31, 1969
Timestamps

00:00- Recording starts mid-sentence, reading “3. i have evn herd uv thee”

01:12- Reads “4”

04:44- Reads “The molecular robbery”

11:09- Reads first line “Sung to the tune of Michael rowed his boat ashore...”

13:40- Reads “Killer Whale”

18:04- Reads “5. And that light is in thee is in thee and”

19:20- Reads “6. And in all things did even as Adam had done”

20:48- Reads “and the green wind is mooving thru th summr trees”

22:36- Reads “Circles in th Sun”

24:13- Reads “Walrus Song”

33:09- Reads first line “So that even yourself becomes a serene stranger...”

37:14- Reads first line “The flaming end, eight beautiful people on a bus...”

47:44- continues reading “...absolutely nothing there but to do with living...”

50:25- Reads first line “Could we grow in the bomb shelter?...”

51:09- Reads “Another 100 warrants issued” from NOBODY OWNS TH EARTH

53:55- Reads first line “The water falls in your mind and you get wet too...”

58:25- Reads first line “The moon is she screamed, listen closely she said...”

01:02:02- Reads first line “Sparrows dream of the endless sun...”

01:02:31- Reads “tarzan collage” from drifting into war, first line “Speaking, speaking, speaking, the I is speaking...”

01:05:02- Reads first line “Bright, yellow, sky...”

01:06:18- Reads “moss song” from OF TH LAND DIVINE SERVICE , first line “See the berries ripen in the trees...”

01:14:13- END OF RECORDING.00:00- Recording starts mid-sentence, reading “3. i have evn herd uv thee”

01:12- Reads “4”

04:44- Reads “The molecular robbery”

11:09- Reads first line “Sung to the tune of Michael rowed his boat ashore...”

13:40- Reads “Killer Whale”

18:04- Reads “5. And that light is in thee is in thee and”

19:20- Reads “6. And in all things did even as Adam had done”

20:48- Reads “and the green wind is mooving thru th summr trees”

22:36- Reads “Circles in th Sun”

24:13- Reads “Walrus Song”

33:09- Reads first line “So that even yourself becomes a serene stranger...”

37:14- Reads first line “The flaming end, eight beautiful people on a bus...”

47:44- continues reading “...absolutely nothing there but to do with living...”

50:25- Reads first line “Could we grow in the bomb shelter?...”

51:09- Reads “Another 100 warrants issued” from NOBODY OWNS TH EARTH

53:55- Reads first line “The water falls in your mind and you get wet too...”

58:25- Reads first line “The moon is she screamed, listen closely she said...”

01:02:02- Reads first line “Sparrows dream of the endless sun...”

01:02:31- Reads “tarzan collage” from drifting into war, first line “Speaking, speaking, speaking, the I is speaking...”

01:05:02- Reads first line “Bright, yellow, sky...”

01:06:18- Reads “moss song” from OF TH LAND DIVINE SERVICE , first line “See the berries ripen in the trees...”

01:14:13- END OF RECORDING.