Griffin

A lot of Canadian poets are rediscovering traditional forms these days, but few of them are having as much fun as Montreal writer David McGimpsey.

His fourth book, Sitcom (Coach House, 112 pages, $17), reveals a rabid obsession with TV shows like Hawaii Five-O and The Golden Girls.

A poet's winning season

Sylvia Legris's break-out book won the Griffin, and her life may never be the same

PATRICIA ROBERTSON

Special to The Globe and Mail

SASKATOON -- At the beginning of this month, Sylvia Legris's quiet poet's life was dramatically altered when she won the coveted 2006 Griffin Poetry Prize.

Cash and cachet go together when it comes to literary awards, so it’s no surprise that the Griffin Poetry Prize, which announced the 2006 finalists April 5, is a big deal. The annual prize splits $100,000 between a Canadian winner and an international one, making it the richest haul for a single volume of poetry in the world. It’s also hotly contested: this year’s judges read 441 books, from 15 countries (including translations from 20 languages), in just three months.