The Canadian Poetry Association began as a grass-roots organization dedicated to promoting the reading, writing, publishing and preservation of poetry in Canada through the individual efforts of members; promoting communication among poets, publishers and the general public; encouraging leadership and participation from members and to encourage the formation and development of local chapters. It began in Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

, Ontario, as a collective on 16 January 1985 with its first Board of Directors: Shaunt Basmajian

Shaunt Basmajian

Shaunt Basmajian was a Canadian poet and author.Born in Beirut, Lebanon to Armenian parents, Basmajian emigrated to Canada when he was seven years old. He was a founder of the Canadian Poetry Association, co-founder of Old Nun Publications , and was a member of the Parliament Street Library poetry...

, James Deahl

James Deahl

James Deahl is a Canadian poet and publisher.Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Deahl grew up in the city and in and around the Laurel Highlands region of the Appalachian Mountains. He moved to Canada in 1970 and holds dual American/Canadian citizenship...

, Wayne Ray

Wayne Ray

Wayne Scott Ray is a Canadian poet and photographer.Ray is the founder of HMS Press publishing, Scarborough Arts Council Poetry Contest, co-founder of the Canadian Poetry Association and co-chairman of the League of Canadian Poets: Associates for 1985/1986...

, Beverley Daurio

Beverley Daurio

Beverley Daurio is a Canadian writer and editor. Formerly editor-in-chief of Poetry Canada Review and editor and publisher of Paragraph: the Canadian Fiction Review, she is currently editor-in-chief of The Mercury Press...

, Chris Faiers

Chris Faiers

Chris Faiers is a librarian, poet and publisher of Unfinished Monument Press.-Biography:Born in Hamilton, Ontario, his family emigrated to the southern United States when he was six. Although a Canadian citizen by birth, he was eligible for the draft for the Vietnam War as a resident alien...

, & Ted Plantos

Ted Plantos

Ted Plantos was a Canadian poet, writer, editor and promoter of Canadian literature.Ted ran the Toronto Public Library's reading series from 1970–1977. He led the People's Poetry Workshops on a weekly basis for the Toronto library system at The House On Gerard during the same time period. He...

 http://www.danforthreview.com/features/essays/barker_on_plantos.htm, and after 20 years has reformed its aims and objectives and is headquartered in Moncton, New Brunswick.

The CPA published POEMATA, a quarterly journal for its members and the general public, filled with poetry, articles news and literary contests. The CPA sponsored the Shaunt Basmajian Chapbook Award

Shaunt Basmajian Chapbook Award

The Shaunt Basmajian Chapbook Award, established in 1996, was an annual prize given by the Canadian Poetry Association. It was named in memory of Shaunt Basmajian, a founder of the association. It was an annual manuscript publication competition and award...

 and several other poetry and chapbook contests open to both members and the general public.

CPA Anthologies

• 1995An Invisible Accordion Broken Jaw Press Jennifer Footman, editor. ISBN 0-921411-38-3
• 1997Strong Winds Broken Jaw Press Sheila Hyland, editor. ISBN 0-921411-60-X
• 2006Harvesting Treasures CPA 20th Participating Members Anthology, River Bones Press ISBN 0-9738671-0-8. Editor Trish Shields
  Trish Shields
  Trish Shields is a Canadian poet and novelist.Born in Canada, Shields grew up in Europe before returning to live in Toronto, Ontario.Shields is the British Columbia chairperson for the Canadian Poetry Association and an associate member of the League of Canadian Poets, Canada Cuba Literary Alliance...
  
   and forward by John B. Lee
  John B. Lee
  John Busteed Lee is a Canadian author and poet who is presently Poet Laureate of Brantford, Ontario. He has received more than 60 prestigious international awards for poetry.- Early life :...
  
  .

The Canadian Poetry Association's Signature Series

• 1997black and white I. B. Iskov CPA Poetry Series #3 ISBN 1-896367-16-X
• 2001SIX Voices: Roger Bell, Jennifer Footman Richard Grove, Joan Latchford, John B. Lee
  John B. Lee
  John Busteed Lee is a Canadian author and poet who is presently Poet Laureate of Brantford, Ontario. He has received more than 60 prestigious international awards for poetry.- Early life :...
  
   Bernice Lever Editor: Richard Grove Hidden Brook Press ISBN 1-894553-26-8
• 2002Windfall: A Canadian Poetry Association Member's Anthology Editor: Leda Lubynskyj Hidden Brook Press ISBN 1-894553-36-5
• 2002Oval Victory: A Canadian Poetry Association Anthology Editor: Linda Rogers Hidden Brook Press ISBN 1-894553-35-7
• 2003Handprints on the Future: A Canadian Poetry Association Anthology Editor: Gordon Gilhuly Hidden Brook Press ISBN 1-894553-48-9

includes CPA BookClub Booklits 1991–1995

• 1991Horticultural Influences in the Founding of HMS Press Wayne Ray
  Wayne Ray
  Wayne Scott Ray is a Canadian poet and photographer.Ray is the founder of HMS Press publishing, Scarborough Arts Council Poetry Contest, co-founder of the Canadian Poetry Association and co-chairman of the League of Canadian Poets: Associates for 1985/1986...
  
   ISBN 0-919957-26-9
• 1991Creative Plagiarism Wayne Ray ISBN 0-919957-27-7
• 1991Vacationland and other Stories Wayne Ray ISBN 0-919957-29-3
• 1991In Memoriam: Milton Acorn James Deahl
  James Deahl
  James Deahl is a Canadian poet and publisher.Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Deahl grew up in the city and in and around the Laurel Highlands region of the Appalachian Mountains. He moved to Canada in 1970 and holds dual American/Canadian citizenship...
  
  ISBN 0-919957-31-5
• 1991Beatrice Dickerskin Wayne Ray ISBN 0-919957-32-3
• 1991Shashin-kaku Haiku Wayne Ray ISBN 0-919957-40-4
• 1993Twin Peaks: an essay Wayne Ray ISBN 0-919957-86-2
• 1993The Beauty That Endures James Deahl ISBN 0-919957-89-7
• 1993Canada or True North James Deahl ISBN 0-919957-90-0
• 1995The Future of Poetry James Deahl ISBN 0-919957-39-0
• 2011 PARTICIPOET! Essays & Reviews:an early look at HMS Press & CPA: London publishing 1982-2006. ISBN 1-55253-070-1 PDF ISBN 1-55253-068-X paper

Basmajian Chapbook Award Winners

• Final year 2008
• 1997 Winner
  • Roger Bell Luke and the Wolf ISBN 0-9694127-3-8,
• 1998 Winner
  • Alice Major Scenes from the Sugar Bowl Café ISBN 0-9694127-4-6
• 1997 Winner
  • Liz Zetlin The Gourd Poems ISBN 0-9686018-0-4
• 2000
  2000 in poetry
  Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Griffin Poetry Prize is established, with one award given each year for the best work by a Canadian poet and one award given for best work in the English language internationally.* February —...
  
  Winner
  • Linda Rogers Grief Sits Down ISBN 0-9686018-2-0
• 2001
  2001 in poetry
  Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Immediately after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, W. H...
  
  Winner
  • Sue Chenette The Time Between Us
• 2002
  2002 in poetry
  Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* After Ghazi al-Gosaibi, the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Britain, publishes a poem praising a suicide bomber who had killed himself and two Israelis after blowing himself up in a supermarket; the...
  
  Winner
  • K. V. Skene Only a Dragon. ISBN 0-9686018-6-3
• 2003
  2003 in poetry
  Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* The Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry was opened at Queens University, Belfast, this year. It houses the Heaney Media Archive, a unique record of Heaney's entire oeuvre, as well as a full catalogue of...
  
  Winner
  • Louise Murphy Pilgrimage ISBN 0-9686018-9-8
• 2004
  2004 in poetry
  Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* April 1 — Foetry.com Web site is launched for the announced purpose of "Exposing fraudulent contests. Tracking the sycophants...
  
  Winner
  • K. V. Skene Calendar of Rain ISBN 0-9734609-1-1
• 2005
  2005 in poetry
  Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* October 7 — Celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the first reading of Allen Ginsberg's poem Howl were staged in San Francisco, New York City, and in Leeds in the UK...
  
  Winners
  • kevin mcpherson eckhoff signs of divorce concrete poetry ISBN 1-55253-062-0
  • Cornelia Hoogland
    Cornelia Hoogland
    Cornelia Hoogland is a Canadian poet. She is currently a professor at the University of Western Ontario and lives in London, Ontario. However, she attributes her childhood on densely wooded Vancouver Island, B.C....
    
      Second Marriage ISBN 1-55253-061-2
• 2006
  2006 in poetry
  Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* French public notary Patrick Huet unveils Pieces of Hope to the Echo of the World in Lyon...
  
  Winner
  • Kate Marshall Flaherty, Unfathom ISBN 978-1-55253-065-8
• 2007
  2007 in poetry
  Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* March 5: a car bomb was exploded on Mutanabbi Street in Baghdad. More than 30 people were killed and more than 100 were wounded. This locale is the historic center of Baghdad bookselling, a winding...
  
  Winner
  • Vicki Goodfellow Duke, The Year We Quit Believing ISBN 978-55253-053-5
• 2008Winner
  • J. J. Steinfeld, Where War Finds You ISBN 978-1-55253-069-6

Famous Canadian Poets 5 CD Collection

• 1976 Original audio tape / 2001 CD publication, 2 – thirty minute readings per CD

• Irving Layton
  Irving Layton
  Irving Peter Layton, OC was a Romanian-born Canadian poet. He was known for his "tell it like it is" style which won him a wide following but also made enemies. As T...
  
   ISBN 1-55253-029-9 (CD#1)
• Earle Birney
  Earle Birney
  Earle Alfred Birney, OC, FRSC was a distinguished Canadian poet and novelist, who twice won the Governor General's Award, Canada's top literary honor, for his poetry.-Life:...
  
   ISBN 1-55253-029-9 (CD#1)
• Dorothy Livesay
  Dorothy Livesay
  Dorothy Kathleen May Livesay, was a Canadian poet who twice won the Governor General`s Award in the 1940s, and was "senior woman writer in Canada" during the 1970s and 1980s.-Life:...
  
   ISBN 1-55253-031-0 (CD#2)
• Eli Mandel
  Eli Mandel
  Eli Mandel was a Canadian poet, editor of many Canadian anthologies, and literary academic.-Biography:...
  
   ISBN 1-55253-031-0 (CD#2)
• Gwendolyn MacEwen
  Gwendolyn MacEwen
  Gwendolyn Margaret MacEwen was a Canadian poet and novelist. A "sophisticated, wide-ranging and thoughtful writer," she published more than 20 books in her brief life. "A sense of magic and mystery from her own interests in the Gnostics, Ancient Egypt and magic itself, and from her wonderment at...
  
   ISBN 1-55253-032-9 (CD#3)
• Raymond Souster
  Raymond Souster
  Raymond Holmes Souster, OC is a Canadian poet whose writing career spans almost 70 years. He has published more than 50 volumes of his own verse, and edited or co-edited a dozen volumes of others' poetry...
  
   ISBN 1-55253-032-9 (CD#3)
• F. R. Scott
  F. R. Scott
  Francis Reginald Scott, CC commonly known as Frank Scott or F.R. Scott, was a Canadian poet, intellectual and constitutional expert. He helped found the first Canadian social democratic party, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, and its successor, the New Democratic Party...
  
   ISBN 1-55253-022-1 (CD#4)
• James Reaney
  James Reaney
  James Crerar Reaney was an influential Canadian poet, playwright, librettist, and professor, "whose works transform small-town Ontario life into the realm of dream and symbol."...
  
   ISBN 1-55253-022-1 (CD#4)
• Milton Acorn
  Milton Acorn
  Milton James Rhode Acorn , nicknamed The People's Poet by his peers, was a Canadian poet, writer, and playwright. He was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island....
  
   ISBN 0-919957-42-0 1986 audio cassette (later on CD)

• Celebration! ISBN 1-55253-035-3 samples of 9 Poets On CD (includes Milton Acorn)

• Prisoner of Women's Dreams by Wayne Ray
  Wayne Ray
  Wayne Scott Ray is a Canadian poet and photographer.Ray is the founder of HMS Press publishing, Scarborough Arts Council Poetry Contest, co-founder of the Canadian Poetry Association and co-chairman of the League of Canadian Poets: Associates for 1985/1986...
  
  50 minutes poetry plays and prose ISBN 1-55253-042-6

External links

• http://canadianpoetryassociation.webs.com Canadian Poetry Association Official Website & Facebook Portal]