The Definition of Melancholy

By Cliff Burns

In his latest book of poetry, and first in nearly five years, Canadian author Cliff Burns ranges from the microscopic to the macro universe, taking note of the cultural and spiritual touchstones that shape and color our existence. Love, beauty, threats to the natural world and aspirations for the stars vie for space in this slim volume of verse.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Black Dog Press
• Release date: May 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781778152016

Cliff Burns

I've been a professional writer for over thirty-five years and have 16 books and well over 100 published short stories to my credit (including 15 major anthology appearances).In 2023, I wrote and produced "Standing At an Angle to the Universe", a ten-part podcast devoted to books, literature and the writing life (available on Spotify, Podbean, etc.).A partial list of my titles: SO DARK THE NIGHT, ELECTRIC CASTLES, DISLOYAL SON and THE LAST HUNT.Two of my books have been shortlisted for national independent press prizes and my work has earned praise from reviewers and readers around the world, including STRANGE ADVENTURES (U.K.) who wrote: "At last Canada has a literary equivalent of David Cronenberg!"All of my novels and collections are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble...or (preferably) can be ordered through your favourite local independent book shop.

Book preview

The Definition of Melancholy. Poems. By Cliff Burns

Copyright © 2022 by Cliff Burns

All Rights Reserved

Except for brief excerpts, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

Cover design: Chris Kent

Cover photograph: Robert Postma

Interior Layout: Megan McCullough

Published by Black Dog Press ([e-mail])

Printed by Lightning Source

ISBN:

978-1-7781520-0-9 (Print)

978-1-7781520-1-6 (Ebook)

Also by Cliff Burns:

Notebooks: 2010 – 2020 (non-fiction)

Electric Castles: A Book of Urban Legends (stories)

Mouth: Rants & Routines (ebook only)

The Algebra of Inequality (poetry)

Righteous Blood (novellas)

Sex & Other Acts of the Imagination (stories)

Disloyal Son

Exceptions and Deceptions (stories)

New and Selected Poems (1985 – 2011)

Stromata: Prose Works (1992 – 2011)

The Last Hunt

Of the Night

So Dark the Night

The Reality Machine (stories)

violins in the void (poetry)

Black Dog Press

"Poetry can repair no loss, but defies the space which separates.