Penn Kemp

Photo Courtesy of Creighton StudioPoet Penn Kemp performs in arts festivals around the world, as well as reading and giving writing workshops throughout Ontario. Since Coach House published her first book (1972), Penn has pushed text and aural boundaries, often in participatory performance.

Among her publications are twenty-five books (poetry and drama), ten CDs (Sound Opera and Sound Poetry), Canada's first poetry CD-ROM and six award-winning videopoems: sample hmytown.ca/pendas, myspace.com/pennkemp, ditchpoetry.com/pennkemp.htm and mytown.ca/poemforpeace. The League of Poets proclaimed her a foremother of Canadian poetry.  Through Pendas Productions, Penn edits and publishes poetry book/cd combinations: kywingpress.com/bookstore.html, mytown.ca/twelfth/.  Monthly muse/news is posted on mytown.ca/pennletters.

Penn Kemp has received numerous arts award grants over several decades, most recently from Media Arts (OAC, 2008) to perform "Communication Breakdown" at McManus Theatre, London ON for the London Fringe, August, 2008.

Her poem "Crossing the Light" is the Poet Laureate's poem of the week (July 2008)

The A B Series gratefully acknowledges the support of The Canada Council and The League of Canadian Poets for this event.