Come to join two poets for an intriguing evening exploring poetry, translation, human condition and life experience intertwined in between, and contribute your own perspective and interpretation!
Time: Tuesday April 21, 2026 at 7:30-9 P.M. (Eastern Time)
Free English Online Event, transcript in other languages available on Zoom
Zoom registration link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/geAuyyiWSzSLfnubOpZocQ
Zoom will open 15 minutes prior. Please be on time. Thanks!
Introduction
Richard Greene, a Newfoundlander, teaches creative writing at the University of Toronto. He is the author of internationally acclaimed biographies of Edith Sitwell and Graham Greene. His fifth collection of poetry, Cannibal Rats, has just been released by Vehicule Press. His poetry has been recognized with the National Magazine Award (Gold) and the Governor General’s Literary Award.
Anna Yin was Mississauga’s inaugural Poet Laureate (2015–2017) and is the author of seven poetry collections, including Breaking Into Blossom (Frontenac Press, 2025). She has translated four poetry books, notably Mirrors and Windows (Guernica Editions, 2021). Her work has appeared in Queen’s Quarterly, ARC Poetry, The New York Times, China Daily, CBC Radio, and more. She has read on Parliament Hill, at international festivals, and at universities in China, Canada, and the U.S. A recipient of multiple awards and grants, she created and teaches Poetry Alive to bring poetry into schools, colleges, and communities.
Richard Greene will share poems from his new collection Cannibal Rats, works that both engage and illuminate what was once called “the human condition.” Using the book as a lens on historical injustices and their resonance in today’s chaotic world, we will explore what history teaches us—or fails to teach—and how shifting human destinies intertwined with the lives of animals.
He will also speak about his personal experience, including his battle with cancer and his mother’s illness, and how these shape the emotional and thematic core of the title poem and the collection as a whole. Reflecting on the value of poetry and art—especially in translation—he will offer insights into their enduring relevance.
Anna Yin will share her Chinese translation of Richard’s Cannibal Rats, along with her challenges and discoveries in navigating its historical and cultural allusions within both a Canadian and personal context.
Please find the title poem below. All are welcome to read, translate, or discuss it during the Q&A session:
https://thewalrus.ca/cannibal-rats/
For inquiries, please contact info@eawlc.org. Thanks!
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