Canadian Reading Challenge 4: The Cariboo Horses - Al Purdy

The Cariboo Horses (1965) was the book that, after 22 years of writing poetry, put Al Purdy (still styling himself as "Alfred" here) on the map -- he most deservedly won a Governor-General's Award for that collection. I feel so full of love for The Cariboo Horses and Purdy that I'm quite incoherent. I just want to type heart heart heart. Those are big ol' maple leafs dancing in my eyes.

Rather than read my burble, go here to the CBC archives and listen to an 11-minute 1967 interview. Happily, the questions are kept to a minimum and once he audibly settles into the studio chair with a little sigh, Purdy is let loose to perform three of his poems from The Cariboo Horses,"Thank God I'm Normal", the title poem and the hilarious "Homo Canadensis". The latter is a poem about a drunken stranger having some fun with patriotism at a watering-hole and demonstrates once again how Purdy could have been a contender for a short story writing crown as well.

I love Purdy's voice. He's Canada Wry and has an almost Jimmy Stewart twang. I can hear everything in his syllables and even the spaces between: Ontario, rough weather, smoke, wide open provinces, Kraft Dinner, homemade beer, hockey games. I must have more.