The poet and writer Lorne Daniel discusses his new collection of poetry What Is Broken Binds Us (University of Calgary Press, 2025), with Joseph Planta.
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What Is Broken Binds Us by Lorne Daniel (University of Calgary Press, 2025).
Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: What Is Broken Binds Us |
Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
Lorne Daniel makes a return to literature with a collection of poetry, What Is Broken Binds Us. It’s an engaging book as the author engages with growing older, especially how aging can take the ground from under us, whether it’s illness or a loved ones illness. Injury can alter a life too, and that’s something that’s worked through in a couple of the poems. Being a parent can also bring these realities closer than we’d like. Mr. Daniel, who joins me now, talks about estrangement with uncanny relatability. There are poems in the collection where the author writes about the literal ground causing upset in one’s life, like earthquakes. We try and prepare for disaster, but we can never truly know if we’re prepared until confronted, and I guess the hope is we rise to the occasion. Another fascinating subject matter tackled in the collection is Lorne’s excavation of family histories and contending with slavery in its heritage. Lorne Daniel is a Canadian poet and non-fiction writer. He has published four books of poetry, edited anthologies, and literary journals. He’s been published in dozens of publications here in Canada, as well as the United States and the United Kingdom. This new collection is published by University of Calgary Press. We spoke about ten days ago, with Lorne joining me from Victoria. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Lorne Daniel; Mr. Daniel, good morning.
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