Category: A. Garnett Weiss

In her column in local papers the week of April 16, Prince Edward County Public Library’s Liz Zylstra features area poets and events in the context of National Poetry Month. Here’s a link to the article:

https://www.countyweeklynews.ca/opinion/columnists/april-is-poetry-month-at-prince-edward-county-library

JC Sulzenko thanks Liz for including reference to her work and to her many ties with the Library in the column. 

“The Library plays such a key role in the County. With locations conveniently accessible throughout the area, its programs enrich the community. Its branches act as hubs around which activities and learning swirl, rain, or shine, or snow. I have held events there, attend a regular French Conversation group in Milford, and, of course, read, read, read books from off their shelves.”

JC’s two most recent poetry collections, Bricolage, A Gathering of Centos, and Life, after life, from epitaph to epilogue are available from Books & Company in Picton. She writes found poems under the pen name, A. Garnett Weiss.

Found Poetry Workshop

National Poetry Month began with JC’s found poetry workshop for members of the Heliconian Club in Toronto. Well attended and received, JC covered her way of finding poems in words written by others, whether creating centos from lines in poems by diverse poets or cut-and-paste, blackout, and erasure poems using words from every imaginable source, including, but not limited to, best-seller lists, ads, novels, newspapers, and creative non-fiction.

Carol A. Stephen Celebration of life

She was then honoured to emcee the celebration of life for her long-time friend and collaborative writing partner, poet Carol A. Stephen, in Carleton Place, Ontario. She crafted the proceedings to give guests a chance to hear readings of Carol’s work by poets, well known and lesser known, who valued Carol as a writer and a friend. JC and Carol wrote poems collaboratively and published two chapbooks, Breathing Mutable Air and Slant of Light. They also wrote a full collection of collaborative ekphrastic poems, Breath of Sky and Water, which placed well in a U.S. contest but which is still looking for a publisher. Their collaboration on a new project consisting of poems written individually to the same themes and with the working title Becoming Mortal was cut short by Carol’s death in November, 2025.

As JC mourns, she recognizes that Carol A. Stephen will be missed not only by her family and friends but by poetry communities in the National Capital Region, across Canada, and internationally.

The County Writes…The County Reads Appearance

On April 19, 2026, JC returned to Lynn Pickering’s radio show, The County Writes…The County Reads, on 99.3 County FM after the noon news on Sunday, April 19. This program explored what book each of three guests is reading.

JC spoke of how little she read as a child but now is a member of three bookclubs and juggles the reading lists as best she can.

In response to the host’s question about one book JC has read recently that struck her, JC chose MAD HONEY by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. “Not for the book , itself, which combines elements of a murder mystery, love story and social commentary, but for the derivative reading I devoured about author Finney Boylan after I read the novel.”

Griffin Poetry Prize Controversy

Scott Griffin should have known better. When the lucrative Griffin Poetry Prize merged two categories of poetry, international and Canadian, into providing one shot to poets around the word at a bigger pot, Canadian poets were right to feel shortchanged.

In the wake of legitimate dismay that the long list for the 2026 prize features not one Canadian poet, Mr. Griffin has asked for commentary on the issue.

Anyone interested in ensuring the vibrancy of the Canadian poetry community should consider replying to him with a call to reinstate the Canadian category. Or to be even bolder, why not drop the international category all together? When Canada’s identity and sovereignty are under such pressure, surely focussing scarce resources in recognizing the excellence of our poets makes good sense.

Here’s link to QUILL AND QUIRE’s story which includes access to a form where comments can be sent to Scott Griffin..

https://quillandquire.com/omni/griffin-poetry-prize-seeks-feedback-on-format

I stand by what I said in my letter to the Globe and Mail, published in September, 2022. 

Here’s the text.

“I am a long-time fan of the Griffin Poetry Prize’s Canadian and international categories. 

To posit that Canadians are up to competing with every poet writing in or translated into English seems more smokescreen than credible rationale for a single category.

“It suggests to me that the prize process to date has coddled Canadian poets, which does them a great disservice. Their achievements in even getting published, within our country’s climate of diminishing publishing houses, restrictive retailers, and flavours of the month, should be celebrated and championed at every opportunity.

“I regret this decision to build up an already generous prize so that, in the end, the prize itself wins more profile on the international stage.”

What else might April bring? Hopefully some sunshine and NO MORE SNOW!

Just out and available online and in print is ArtAscent Art & Literature Journal’’s glorious first issue of 2026 with its focus on themes related to children and childhood.

JC thanks the editors of this international publication for selecting her free verse poem, “Back to where we belong,” first published in South Shore Suite…Poems (Point Petre Publishing). 

The poem captures an adult child’s return home to convalesce and the push and pull the parent feels during that period of intense closeness. 

As Editor Lou Riegler observed, “JC Sulzenko writes with clarity and honesty giving voice to emotions that many people feel but are reluctant to express. As both a mother and a poet, she offers reassurance to her readers, gently reminding us that letting go is, fundamentally, an act of love.”Here’s a link to the issue where you can read “Back to where we belong” and from where you can order the publication in digital or print form: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/3279411

“ Wisdom,” a five-line poem, first appeared in Life, after life—from epitaph to epilogue, the 2024 collection from Aeolus House and attributed to A. Garnett Weiss.  JC Sulzenko uses this pen name for the found poetry she writes.

California’s Silver Birch Press published “Wisdom” on March 6, 2026 in its current online series, BUGS AND INSECTS.  Here’s the link to that post:

Wisdom by A. Garnett Weiss (BUGS & INSECTS Series)

JC thanked publisher Melanie Villines for including her work. “I am honoured to take part in this series which includes observations from diverse poets about the good, the bad and the ugly in the insect and bug world,” JC noted. “ Wisdom is about child-like wonder. It’s a favourite poem of mine.”

Silver Birch Press has featured a number of poems written by JC and JC writing as A. Garnett Weiss. Her work appears in Ides, A Collection of Poetry Chapbooks and also in the Nancy Drew Anthology from the same house.

Mary Lou Soutar-Hynes’ new collection launched on Saturday, May 24 in Toronto at Society Clubhouse.

JC welcomed the invitation from publisher Aeolus House to read at this afternoon celebration of Mary Lou’s fine poetry.

JC choose selections from Life, after life–from epitaph to epilogue, her 2024 collection of found poems using words drawn from obituaries published in the Globe and Mail and from Bricolage, a Gathering of Centos, a finalist for the 2022 Fred Kerner Book Award from the Canadian Authors Association.

JC explained that she writes centos and found poetry under her pen name, A. Garnett Weiss. “To give me distance from my other poetry and licence to move toward more abstract forms of expression.”

“I was honoured to read at the launch of Mary Lou’s luminous, memorable collection.,The hall was packed. The audience listened carefully to Dorothy Sandler-Glick, who read first, and then to me. The response from everyone there heartened me, ” JC noted. Here’s the poster for the event.

Lots to celebrate in April, particularly to focus on Canadian poets and poetry.

JC encourages poetry lovers to head to the library or the bookstore and support Canada’s amazing poetry community.

To read about some of the ways in which she is marking National Poetry Month click here.

Blaine Marchand reviews Life, after life—from epitaph to epilogue for The Ontario Poetry Society’s magazine, Verse Afire

An upcoming issue of Verse Afire, the flagship semi-annual magazine from The Ontario Poetry Society, will feature Ottawa poet Blaine Marchand’s definitive review of JC’s third poetry collection, published under her pen name, A. Garnett Weiss.

Life, after life—from epitaph to epilogue offers over 60 found poems which use words and phrases drawn unaltered from obituaries published in the Globe and Mail.

Marchand’s cogent observations about this, her second book of found poems, include these quotes:

JC thanks Blaine Marchant for sharing his insights into Life, after life, which Aeolus House published in the fall of 2024.

To read the review in full, click here.

Please check out Ontario poet K. V. Skene’s thoughtful and welcome response to JC’s 3rd poetry collection, Life, after life—from epitaph to epilogue.

Here’s the link to the review written by Chris Fanning, literary maven and co-publisher of the Picton Gazette, Canada’s oldest community newspaper.

https://pictongazette.ca/post/poems-of-many-voices 

“I welcome this serious and in depth consideration of my new poetry collection, the second one published by Aeolus House under my pen name, A. Garnett Weiss, ” JC noted.

The 60+ five-line, found poems each take words and phrases unaltered from death notices and obituary articles published in the Globe and Mail over a six year period.

“These poems are more about life than about death, even though the words originate with notices about people no longer with us, ” JC explained.

“When I know that a reviewer is focusing on my work, I await the comments with bated breath.  The response to poetry is idiosyncratic, so personal to each reader. I recognize that what may appeal to one reviewer may not appeal to another.”

Chris Fanning’s take on Life, after life offers substantive analysis of and perceptive insights into the collection as whole as well as highlights his reaction to a number of poems, in particular.

“I thank Chris Fanning for his words which honour my work. I am grateful to The Gazette for giving Life, after life–from epitaph to epilogue such a fine reception.”

Copies of the book are available for purchase from this website and from these wonderful, independent bookstores: Books & Company (Picton), Perfect Books and Octopus Books (Ottawa) and Book City in the Beach (Toronto.)

In rob mclennan’s Periodicity Journal, prize-winning Ottawa poet Jean Van Loon gives Life, after life—from epitaph to epilogue a very fine reception. Here’s a link to the post: 

https://periodicityjournal.blogspot.com/2024/12/jean-van-loon-life-after-life-by.html

JC Sulzenko thanks Van Loon for her careful consideration of this collection of found poems, written under the pen name A. Garnett Weiss.

Van Loon comments on the collection of 60+ poems as a whole and shares her response to three poems in more depth. She concludes her review with these words:

“Though the elements used to write Life, after life are not drawn from poetry, they are drawn from accounts of real lives, each with its specific pleasures and griefs, adventures and disappointments, and Weiss has found the poetry in them. She has creatively selected and juxtaposed concrete and original images, spending time among the original fragments to allow her poetic imagination to discern a thread of story, feeling, mood. The tightly compressed poems she weaves with these threads, convey astute political commentary, emotional weight, and philosophical insight—all applicable to lives beyond those celebrated in the original obituaries. This book is a box of savoury bites to please a poetic palate.”

JC is grateful to rob mclennan for publishing this review on the heels of book launches in Toronto, Ottawa, and Picton.

 Copies of Life, after life—from epitaph to epilogue are available through www.jc.sulzenko.com and from these excellent independent book stores: Book City in the Beach (Toronto); Perfect Books and Octopus Books (Ottawa); and Books & Company (Picton).