Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · 1d

I've got a new poem on DUSIE thanks to the tireless @robmclennan.bsky.social! in this poem, "Someone has bastardized the best lines, / and I have taken all the credit" as per usual. (the "someone" is me 🤫) please give it a read!

rob mclennan @robmclennan.bsky.social · 1d

Tuesday poem #653 : Chris Johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social : screaming kids / @arcpoetry.bsky.social @nightwoodeditions.bsky.social ;
dusie.blogspot.com/2025/10/tues...

Tuesday poem #653 : Chris Johnson : screaming kids

after John Thompson’s “IX” from Stilt Jack Milton Acorn. Earle Birney. Louis Dudek. Irving Layton. Al Purdy. Too many men have been pu...

dusie.blogspot.com

1 5

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · 14d

a packed house! standing room only!

1 1

Reposted by chris johnson

Arc Poetry Magazine @arcpoetry.bsky.social · 15d

Today's the day! We are looking forward to hosting our three Lampman Award finalists this evening at Perfect Books on Elgin Street. Come on out to hear Emily Austin, Manahil Bandukwala, and AJ Dolman read from their recent books of poetry. Readings start at 7pm, so don't miss it!

Arc Poetry Magazine @arcpoetry.bsky.social · Sep 5

Join us at Perfect Books on Tuesday, Sept 23, for a special reading with the 2025 Lampman Award Finalists: Emily Austin, Manahil Bandukwala, and AJ Dolman. Don’t miss the chance to hear these incredible poets share their work before the Lampman Award winner is revealed later this fall!

2 3

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · 16d

TOMORROW! Join me at Perfect Books at 7pm to hear from Arc's three Lampman Award finalists. If you're looking for some great poetry in Ottawa on a Tuesday, this is the place to be!

Arc Poetry Magazine @arcpoetry.bsky.social · Aug 25

We are thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2025 Lampman Award, recognizing outstanding poetry from brilliant Ottawa-based poets: Emily Austin's “Gay Girl Prayers,” Manahil Bandukwala's “Heliotropia,” and AJ Dolman's “Crazy/Mad.” Stay tuned for details about the winner announcement this fall!

1 1 7

Reposted by chris johnson

Nightwood Editions @nightwoodeditions.bsky.social · 21d

Don’t miss an incredible panel at Word Vancouver this Saturday, Sept. 20! Join Isabella Wang (November, November), Joseph Dandurand (I Would Like to Thank You), Arleen Paré, and Junie Désil for a powerful conversation hosted by Renée Sarojini Saklikar.

🗓 Saturday, Sept. 20
🕧 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Tending the Unspoken — WV

From encrypted histories and systemic weight to ancestral echoes and quiet acts of gratitude, this poetry reading brings together four distinct yet intertwined voices in Canadian literature. Join us f...

www.wordvancouver.ca

1 1

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · 22d

Yesterday I got the notification that my first ever Canada Council grant was rejected. I was hoping for at least something to help with my upcoming residency at the Al Purdy A-frame. Alternating between anger and sadness, my only solace is learning that others have felt this same feeling.

2

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · Aug 31

PICNIC!

Reposted by chris johnson

Arc Poetry Magazine @arcpoetry.bsky.social · Aug 25

We are thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2025 Lampman Award, recognizing outstanding poetry from brilliant Ottawa-based poets: Emily Austin's “Gay Girl Prayers,” Manahil Bandukwala's “Heliotropia,” and AJ Dolman's “Crazy/Mad.” Stay tuned for details about the winner announcement this fall!

1 6 19

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · Aug 21

come on out to T's Pub in Ottawa tonight, if you're free, and please be kind to me as I read some poems for the first time in a long time!

JamesTheBalladeer @jamestheballadeer.bsky.social · Aug 21

Queer Indie Authors at T's Pub
Featuring:
Host Eden Moore
@ajdolman.bsky.social
Natalie Hanna
@ceeeejohnson.bsky.social
Yours truly
1/3

1 6

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · Aug 15

have people started to believe that support for a political party has to look like a cult because of the Republican party in the US? another thing that they ruined is the movement away from people supporting an effective politician to instead support the most outrageous and viral politician?

1

Reposted by chris johnson

rob mclennan @robmclennan.bsky.social · Aug 14

the ottawa small press book fair, autumn 2025 edition: November 22, 2025 / @ottawasmallpress.bsky.social ;
smallpressbookfair.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-...

the ottawa small press book fair, autumn 2025 edition: November 22, 2025

span-o (the small press action network - ottawa) presents: the ottawa small press book fair autumn 2025 : will be held on Satur...

smallpressbookfair.blogspot.com

4 10

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · Aug 15

i was just listening to “Not Strong Enough” and got a sudden urge to be in a car with a bunch of friends so i could ask everyone who their favourite boygenius is. for a laugh i think i’d say Jimmy Neutron.

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · Aug 14

oh yeah i’m gonna try to dig up my best bisexual poems for this reading next week! come out and tell me how to make my poems gayer!

JamesTheBalladeer @jamestheballadeer.bsky.social · Aug 6

Queer Indie Authors at T's Pub in Ottawa

Featuring fab host Eden Moore &
@ajdolman.bsky.social
@battleaxepress.bsky.social
@ceeeejohnson.bsky.social
Stevie Mikayne
@jamestheballadeer.bsky.social

T's Pub or tspub.ca
Thurs., Aug. 21.
Doors "open", 5:30.
6:00pm start.
Free event.
1/2

1 4

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · Aug 9

going through my poetry manuscript and identifying common themes. here’s what i have so far:
- raccoons
- body (i.e. boogers, butts)
- the world sucks
- poems about poems
- love

piece of paper with a handwritten list: “raccoons, body (i.e. boogers, butts), the world sucks, poems about poems, love”

12

Reposted by chris johnson

Arc Poetry Magazine @arcpoetry.bsky.social · Aug 8

The heat of summer is here, and Arc 107 is full of hot new poems, including winner of our 2025 Poem of the Year contest! Poems in this issue will haunt you, unsettle your ideas of home and family, and ask questions about memory, history and our place in the cosmos.

Order one today: buff.ly/PxduI1T

7 12

Reposted by chris johnson

JamesTheBalladeer @jamestheballadeer.bsky.social · Aug 6

Queer Indie Authors at T's Pub in Ottawa

Featuring fab host Eden Moore &
@ajdolman.bsky.social
@battleaxepress.bsky.social
@ceeeejohnson.bsky.social
Stevie Mikayne
@jamestheballadeer.bsky.social

T's Pub or tspub.ca
Thurs., Aug. 21.
Doors "open", 5:30.
6:00pm start.
Free event.
1/2

1 3 3

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · Aug 4

you gotta break out Blackwater Park more often, bud!

1 1

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · Jul 30

very cool call for submissions from Coach House here!

Coach House Books @coachhousebooks.bsky.social · Jul 18

In the tradition of the poem as an act of love, as an act of protest, an act of visionary incantation, of remembrance, of a call to arms, and a much-needed balm—Coach House Books is inviting poetry submissions for an upcoming anthology of occasional poems, ed. @sinaqueyras.bsky.social

A PDF with information on submitting work to On Occasion, a poetry anthology edited by Sina Queyras. For this information in a different format, please email anthology.coachhouse@gmail.com.

2 8

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · Jul 29

writer friends who are good at marketing, is it wise to rebrand myself to "The Decentest White Male Poet in Canada"?

2 4

Reposted by chris johnson

Amanda Earl @amandaearl.bsky.social · Jul 28

Very much looking forward to the return of dear friend Matthew Jones - writer who is hosting another melange of food and writing at his favourite eatery, Bamm's Snack Shack on Saturday, August 9 at 6pm.

1 1 3

Reposted by chris johnson

Arc Poetry Magazine @arcpoetry.bsky.social · Jul 25

A fair warning from Dessa Bayrock before reading Rob Taylor's poem “Harrison River Valley, November”: "It is scientifically proven to make anyone who hails from British Columbia homesick, especially if they are as far from home as the salmon are." Check out Rob's visceral poem here: buff.ly/z84Gv1q

1 11

Reposted by chris johnson

(ottawa) small press almanac @smallpressalmanac.bsky.social · Jul 23

Call for Submissions to Arc Poetry's Diana Brebner Prize / @arcpoetry.bsky.social ;
smallpressalmanac.blogspot.com/2025/07/call...

Call for Submissions to Arc Poetry's Diana Brebner Prize

Attention Ottawa writers who are unpublished in book form! Now's the time to get your submissions in to this year's Diana Brebner Prize. T...

smallpressalmanac.blogspot.com

4 7

Reposted by chris johnson

Arc Poetry Magazine @arcpoetry.bsky.social · Jul 24

Today we are promoting the Summer Lovin' Contests run by our friends at canadianpoets.bsky.social. Among these opportunities is the Lesley Strutt Poetry Contest, named after a late member of our Ottawa poetry community who is still missed by many at Arc. More details are here: buff.ly/oc1mXqV

1 2

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · Jul 24

the state of literary magazines in Canada is precarious, and this report from @litmagscan.bsky.social shows it. many publishers will expect and looks for an author's track record of published work, but the lit mags where writers can publish are being run by volunteers or an extremely small staff.

Literary Magazines Canada Collective @litmagscan.bsky.social · Jul 24

Post #3 summarizing our survey of #literarymagazines in Canada. We found that while litmags contribute significantly to writers & literary publishing, they are working with very limited resources. The large majority in our survey have no full-time paid staff. Read the full report: litmags.ca/survey/

Yellow background, black and pink text: "We found that litmags are doing this work with very limited resources. The large majority of litmags have no full-time paid staff." A pie chart shows that 75.6% of litmags report zero full-time staff.

2 4

chris johnson @ceeeejohnson.bsky.social · Jul 23

attn: Ottawa poets! this prize is open for submissions from writers who have not yet published a full-length book of poetry, and it's literally the cheapest way to get a 1-year subscription to Arc Poetry Magazine. so, give it a try, right?!

Arc Poetry Magazine @arcpoetry.bsky.social · Jun 30

Calling all Ottawa poets who are unpublished in book form! The Diana Brebner Prize is open for submissions. Enter 1–2 poems by September 4 with only a $35 entry, which includes a 1-year subscription to Arc. Judge: Jessica Bebenek. Don’t miss it! buff.ly/msaCC7i

2 4