The Wren, Al Moritz
Anansi, 2026
Al sent me an email invitation to attend the launch of his latest poetry collection, The Wren, out with Anansi Press. Al and I have known each other casually for several decades, though I’d say we’ve met up more so at different literary or art events in recent years, by ‘recent years’ meaning post-COVID shutdown, and certainly quite often at the newly established, informative and entertaining, Soluble Fish ‘all-things-art’ talk series organized by writers Beatriz Hausner and Russell Smith, usually at the Free Times Café, though also now occurring from time to time at the venerable Arts and Letters Club.
The launch took place Thursday April 9 at the Flying Books Bookstore on College Street, Toronto, an enterprising enterprise established by Martha Sharpe, formerly of Anansi Press and Simon & Schuster, that combines a bricks-and-mortar bookstore with writing workshops, a mentorship program and a publishing house. There were maybe twenty chairs arranged in the space, though it didn’t take long for those chairs to fill, so that a majority of the audience was standing room only, leaned against the bookshelves and gathered straight back to the store entrance. It was a mixed-age crowd that likely included friends, teaching and literary associates, and former students of Al. Fortunately, there was a functioning sound system in place enabling the speakers to be heard amid the shuffle of feet.
Michael Redhill acted as emcee. He explained that he and Al went back many years as friends as well as having had a teacher/student relationship. Michael was also the editor for Al’s latest collection, all of which added an air of informality and camaraderie to the occasion which extended to include members of the audience. While Michael pointed out Al as an award-winning poet, he also noted that the celebrated and award-winning author Michael Ondaatje was in attendance as well as Karen Solie, who had recently won the prestigious and lucrative Windham-Campbell Prize for poetry. Of course, Michael Redhill himself was a former Giller Prize recipient.
Al read in his usual concise and articulate manner, adding short anecdotes and his own brand of droll humour as he proceeded. He mentioned that he wanted to keep the reading relatively short since it was to be followed both by a Q&A with Michael, as well as by a surprise presentation, whether a surprise for Al or for the audience or both, I wasn’t sure. The reading concluded with much applause.
During the Q&A, banter was exchanged about the impetus for the book’s creation as well as inquiring about Al’s writing process. Michael mentioned that he was always amazed at Al’s ability to remember people and events from years past as well as able to recite poems (or parts of poems) from diverse sources. Al, ever self-effacing, joked that it only seemed that he remembered more than the next person because he tended to dominate the conversations. This tickled the audience, having probably gone through the experience of conversing with Al themselves and — despite his attempt to deflect — felt a similar gobsmacked admiration for his sense of recall.
The surprise arrived with the introduction of four members of the Bengali community who were instrumental in starting up a newspaper-type magazine to include translations of the works of Canadian poets, Al being newly selected. He was, of course, delighted by the presentation. A woman read a poem in Bengali followed by Al’s recital in English. The evening ended with more applause and a line-up to purchase signed copies of The Wren.
It was a convivial, fun, and successful event. Warm congratulations to Al. I’d like to thank all those folks involved with the launch in particular. Big thanks and tip-of-the-hat as well going out to the other names I mentioned above — and to their projects — that keep poetry and the arts scene LIVE in Toronto.
Stan Rogal lives and writes in Toronto along with his artist partner Jacquie Jacobs. His work has appeared almost magically in numerous magazines and anthologies. The author of several books, plus a handful of chapbooks, a 13th poetry collection was published in March 2025 with ecw press. Co-founder of Bald Ego Theatre and former coordinator of the popular Idler Pub Reading Series.
