Remembering a memorable Edmonton Poetic Performance Trio
SPIRITUS–Glen Kirkland, Dean McKenzie, and Richard Davies (all senior high ELA teacher-poets)
(We published two editions of this chapbook. We were on C.B.C. Radio reading our famous 3-in-1 poems, breaking up Marion Coomey. Cover was done by Kees Wouters, a former Scona colleague, now a B.C. artist.)
(Otherwise known as This, That, The Other, 1991–Dean took shadow impressions of our heads for the cover. “This” was Glen aka “Spook” for his Catholic connections, Richard was “That”–aka “Laddio”, and Dean was “The Other” aka “Daddio”. (Daddio, Laddio and The Spook.) We were regular readers at Café la Gare (Thanks to Thomas Trofimuk, himself now a famous novelist) and at places such as U of A, the Banff Springs, Southgate Woodward’s, Aspen Books, et al)
(Our foray in 1988 into drama and the Fringe. Glen played a puppet show host who had redone Hamlet, Dean played a children’s show character who had gone into WWF wrestling and singing obscene songs for children, Richard played The Producer, a cowboy singer, and Bob Dyin’. Poster by one of my students, Judd Hampton.)
(Spiritus with Margaret Moody (Lynn Joberg), Spiritus with Solon McDade (bass) and John Towill (didgeridoo) live at Ike and Iggy’s on Whyte Ave.. Dean later went on to become The Jazz Poet and recorded 2 CDs and 2 videos still on the ‘net.)
(full throttle: Woodward Books, Southgate on a December 1990 Saturday afternoon; later bringing the passing crowd to a standstill.)
(planning another reading in the mid-’90s)
Sadly, Glen passed in 2010 and Dean in 2013. I read a eulogy for both of them (Glen’s memorial at a full-house chapel), and also read one of Dean’s poems with the Andrew Glover Trio at his full-house celebration. Their poetry and spirits continue to live on.
A good day to remember these remarkable, talented guys during an impending full moon after transferring onto 3 CDs a selection of live Spiritus readings at Cafe la Gare (including the one with the waiter reading an unexpurgated poem complaining about his job, after which he was fired!) as well as our 2 CBC Radio show appearances back in 1991. We were at the zenith of our career and well-received on the local front.
*For a selection of my poems, use blog Search: Richard Davies/Poems.