The Corpses of the Future [Paperback]

The Corpses of the Futureis a sustained, confessional new collection of poems by Lynn Crosbie. It tells the story of her father’s battle with frontotemporal dementia and blindness, following a stroke. The poems chronologically recount the poet’s conversations and time with her father, and capture his still-astonishing means of communicating. The book’s title is his, sardonic, remark. Crosbie considers, strategically, dementia to be a symbolic language and as such, similar to poetry. The author’s attempts to understand her father’s distress, pain, fear, and brave love are assisted by her understanding of the “negative capability” required of readers of poetry.

This is a harrowing book, with moments of joy and even levity. It is a collection of poetry about love, and love’s persistence, even under the most unspeakable circumstances.

Lynn Crosbiewas born in Montreal and is a cultural critic, author, and poet. A Ph.D in English literature with a background in visual studies, she teaches at the University of Toronto and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Her books (of poetry and prose) includePearl,Queen Rat, andDorothy L'Amour. She is also the author of the controversial book,Paul's Caseand most recently,Life Is About Losing EverythingandWhere Did You Sleep Last Night. She is a contributing editor atFashion, and aNational MagazineAward Winner who has written about sports, style, art, and music.

Praise for Lynn Crosbie andWhere Did You Sleep Last Night:

“Lynn Crosbie is what a great writer should be: pissed off, bereft, misunderstood, impolite, funny, and in love with the madness of the world.” — Miriam Toews, author ofAll My Puny SorrowsandA Complicated Kindness

“Where Did You Sleep Last Night is terrifying and beautiful. It is a thrift store jam packed with once loved, tl³¥