Radiant Danse UV Being

a blewointment book

"bill bissett is my astral twin."

--Margaret Atwood

Many of Canada's most renowned poets salute a national treasure in this poetic tribute to bill bissett. bissett has been a landmark on the Canadian literary scene since the 1960s, renowned as much for his fascinating life as for his poetics. He is best known for his anti-conventional poetry, which makes use of phonetic spelling and visual elements, and for his performances of concrete sound, chanting, and dancing during poetry readings. bissett is also the founder of blewointment press (now Nightwood Editions).

Throughout his life, bissett has attracted a host of admirers--and not just from the counterculture movement. Poets of all styles are fans of his work, including Margaret Atwood, George Bowering, Di Brandt, Leonard Cohen, Lorna Crozier, Patrick Lane, bp Nichol, Steve McCaffery, Jay MillAr, PK Page, and Darren Wershler-Henry. No Canadian poet has gained a wider acceptance in the various poetic "schools" than bissett. His work transcends boundaries, appealing to those whose tastes run toward the traditional and to the more avant-garde. Now, for the first time, this diverse group of more than 80 poets comes together in one book to celebrate bissett's life and work.

radiant danse uv being is an essential text for anyone interested in the work of bill bissett--and in Canadian literature itself.