Ex Nihilo

By J. R. Léveillé and E.D. Blodgett

A bilingual collection of renga poetry by two of Canada's most celebrated poets in English and in French, each writing in his respective language in response to the other. A project of discourse itself, shared in dialogue between two poets, as they explore Novalis’ definition of poetry as “the truly absolute real.” The poetic act is world-changing, the agglomeration of atoms as they fall through space – a sort of “elective affinity”, or state of grace – to constitute Being. If Lao Tzu reminds us that the Dao that can be named is not the eternal Dao, this renga, suffused with elements of the natural world, also recognizes that, in the words of Angelus Silesius, ‘‘the unnameable, which we usually call God, is expressed and revealed through the Word.’’ Léveillé and Bloggett share an unprecedented dialogue that possesses both paradox and complete clarity of word in Canada's two official languages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: At Bay Press
• Release date: Apr 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781988168937

J. R. Léveillé

J.R. Léveillé has published over thirty books (novels, poetry, essays). He has a master's degree in French literature and worked as a journalist and producer at Radio-Canada until 2006. Léveillé has directed portraits of authors for television, as well as special issues of literary journals. He was the long-time director of Les Éditions du Blé and served as secretary of the Winnipeg International Writers Festival. His work has garnered numerous recognitions, foremost Manitoba's Arts Award of Distinction. In 2009, he was writer and lecturer in residence at the Université de Rennes, France.

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