B. P. Nichol Books

The pages are textured with faint purple lines, page numbers have been omitted, and strange pictures compliment much of the text. These eccentricities make up some of the more noticeable elements of b.p.Nichol's "The Martyrology", and add a stylistic visual dynamic omitted from most written poetry. Besides the visual elements, the subject matter and writing style of the text is quite different-some might say abstract or experimental-as well, compared to other works of poetry written in the early 1970's. Most importantly, "The Martyrology 1 & 2" begins the lifelong poetic work of b.p.Nichol, an influential Canadian contemporary, poet, author, and artist. After the original publication of "The Martyrology 1 & 2" in 1972, it continued to change and evolve over almost 20 years, slowly flowing from one creative process to another through 9 books of expressive poetry. Sadly, the series of books ended with Nichols death in 1988, though one wonders if it would have come to a close even if he had lived to be 100. Although it may seem abstract, and at times confusing, it has been recognized as an important and influential work of the late 20th century. The book plays with how we see words, creates its own world to interpret, and attempts to break away from conventional poetic theme to create its own structure for poetic expression. Reading "The Martyrology 1 & 2" forces one to reconsider the conventions of modern poetry.