SCS Poetry Instructor’s Season of Accolades

This spring has been exceptional for Ken Babstock, Canadian poet and part-time instructor at U of T’s School for Continuing Studies Creative Writing Program.  Last week, Babstock’s 2011 poetry collection Methodist Hatchet won the highest of honours for poetry: The 2012 Griffin Poetry Prize.  The Griffin, awarded every year to one Canadian and one international poet, is one of Canada’s most prestigious literary awards carrying a $65,000 cash prize.

Last month, Methodist Hatchet was also shortlisted for the 2012 Trillium Book Award, Ontario’s leading award for literature.  Babstock won a Trillium Book Award For Poetry in 2006 for his collection Airstream Land Yacht.  He is particularly excited to be nominated for the 2012 award, where his volume of poetry is a contender amongst works of all genres including: fiction, non-fiction, drama, children’s books and poetry.

Babstock, who was born in Newfoundland and raised in the Ottawa Valley, has been a published poet for over a decade and is the author of several award-winning collections such as Airstream Land Yacht, Mean, and Days Into Flatspin. He most recently completed an artist-in-residence in Berlin, returning last month to his Toronto residence.

Babstock teaches several poetry workshops at U of T’s School for Continuing Studies Creative Writing Program. This summer he will lead an intensive poetry course as part of the Summer Writing School which will be held June 16-20, 2012.  He will also be teaching a poetry Master Class in the fall and an intensive poetry workshop as part of next winter’s session.