Wind and Root

The poems on Wind and Root emerge from two powerful and sometimes contradictory forces in the poet’s life: one, the rural traditions, landscapes and seascapes of his native province, and the other, a profound desire to move and see beyond those boundaries. Brent MacLaine’s work displays a range of poetical responses—lyrical, tragic, dramatic, realistic, ironic, humourous—from an imagination that swings between the experiences of there and away—of wind—and the experiences of here and home—of root.

Reviews

“Maclaine’s work is self-consciously local, unpretentious, and accessible-by turns solemn and witty.” –Geoffrey Cook, Books in Canada

“MacLaine has a genially capacious mind and a reliable ear, and is quite interested in the world outside Brent MacLaine. […] He is as technically proficient as a poet needs to be, but his style remains quite lucid, unmarred by verbal gamesmanship. These poems manage to get off the ground without a lot of noisy flapping.” –Bruce Taylor, Montréal Gazette

“In Wind and Root, his first book of poetry, Brent MacLaine culls meaning through plot and happen-stance, a poet who ladles out stories like soup you can eat with a fork. His poems, chock-full with gritty details of small-town life, are spiced with cynicism and a generous dash of humility.” –Kelly Marie Redcliffe, Atlantic Books Today, No. 31