The poems in Omar Ramadan’s This Sweet Rupture explore family secrets, diaspora, food culture, and war’s impact on personal narratives while navigating cultural identity as a first-generation Lebanese-Canadian.

Lisa Baird’s poems in When Whales Went Back to the Water traverse through joy, loss, parenting, domestic violence, and isolation. Steely, tender, and sensual, this collection creates a reverent container for a broken world.

Shannon Arntfield’s Python Love is a collection of free verse poetry weaving together experiences of childhood abuse and birth trauma from the perspective of a medical doctor who is also a mother.

The new books of each reader will be available from Audreys Books in Edmonton and area, and the University of Alberta Press’ website.

In-Person & Online: This is a hybrid event with both an in-person and online attendance option. Those wishing to attend in-person can join a listening party in Henderson Hall (1-17 Rutherford Library South, University of Alberta Campus).  There will be refreshments. Those wishing to attend online can join via Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent out to all registrants the day before the event and again one hour before the start. 

Registration: Free and limited. To secure your spot, click the “Tickets” button and register.