Thanks go to my parents for introducing the poetry of Dennis Lee to my brothers and I. Many of his poems I can still remember vividly. I sometimes wonder if exposure to his poetry at a young age formed part of who I am as a writer.
I know that I’d rather have my past filled with his poetry than not. Nicholas Knock and Other People, Garbage Delight and Alligator Pie resonate with me the most. In fact, when my son was old enough, I recorded myself reading all those books and made a CD for him to play whenever he wanted.
Back in 2012, graduates of the Soulpepper Academy created “Alligator Pie, [a musical bringing] the celebrated children’s poems of Canada’s Father Goose, Dennis Lee, to vibrant theatrical life.” It now runs to January 3, 2016. For those living in Toronto, you, and more importantly your kids, are in for a treat.
Here’s a small CBC interview with Dennis Lee from 1977, where he reads some of his poems.
Enjoy, and remember to “fix the rips with potato chips.”
