lettricity is a first book of poems set in montreal. the language of these poems is sonorous, and liable to leap from english to french to patwa to joal and back. the collection investigates black "québecitude" by looking into our place in local history, in today's city, and in litterature. lettricity fuses the rhythms and sounds of downtown living with those of bebop, reggae, and blues. finally, lettricity presents the poem itself as the urban grid, through which different (s)languages, sounds, rush-hour bottlenecks, carifiesta parades, etc. traffic.

Lettricity

poems

by Kaie Kellough

isbn 0-9733499-1-3

5" x 6.75"

112 pages

quality paperback

Kaie Kellough is a Montréal writer (via Calgary) who has been an active member of the literary community since his arrival in 1998. He has published in Filling Station, Matrix, Kola, Free Fall, has written for radio (CBC, CKUT), newspaper (Globe and Mail, The Gazette), and diverse periodicals (among them Canadian Dimension and Rabble.ca). In 2001 he was awarded a Canada Council writing grant to work on a book of poems set in Montréal. Lettricity is that book. Kaie is a member of the Québec Writers' Federation (QWF). He has been invited to read his work in Ottawa, Toronto, Halifax, New York, and Thunder Bay, while reading regularly in Montréal. He was a featured artist in CBC's 2003 Canada Reads series, to which he contributed a written work based on the Hubert Aquin novel Prochain épisode. For the past three years, Kaie has written, researched, produced, and hosted a CKUT community radio show. Kaie has organized numerous readings that have featured other local (and out-of-town) writers. He is an active member of Montréal-based live organic improvider Kalmunity Vibe Collective.

"Kaie Kellough declares Cool Age Québécitude, / remixing urban vibes with négritude. / His poetry, spare chic Shakespeare, shakes / CanLit with reggae riff, steelpan quakes."

-- George Elliott Clarke

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"Poems in the collection look at "black quebecitude," examining the place of black culture(s) and communities in local art, politics and history." Hour magazine

"The book is more than a collection of poetry though. It is highly visual, with photography capturing the urban experience, and the poetry's text emphasizing movement." Ottawa Xpress

"Live, Kellough is rhythm personified." Montréal Review of Books mRb