Elisabeth Belliveau was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1979. She is a published author of three graphic novels and an interdisciplinary artist, working in stop-motion animation, drawing and fibre arts. Her latest collection of poetry, prose, artwork, and accompanying short film is don't get lonely don't get lost (Conundrum Press, 2010). She completed an MFA at Concordia University and a BFA from the Alberta College of Art and Design. She is the recipient of grants and awards including the William Blair Brucebo Scholarship and has attended residencies at KIAC, Struts, Banff Centre Women’s Studio Workshop NY and The National Film Board of Canada. Currently her studio is in-between Montréal, Québec and Ithaca, New York. Her work and animations can be viewed at: www.elisabethbelliveau.com.
TTQ - What role do you see poetry playing in an increasingly digital world, and do you feel the e-book will ultimately take the place of the printed page?
Elisabeth Belliveau - For me, most poetry needs to be held in hand. The architecture of a book can complete poems by demanding time and space- almost in a sculptural way. As a writer who uses space - I enjoy work that considers the page, isolating and giving weight to certain moments allowing the work and the reader to breath. Books make me slow down - which is necessary for reading poetry. My tendency with an e-book is to hurry, I can't seem to forget that there is a battery, it is too much like a computer, it is still too plugged in. The physicality of a book connects me to the writing - even the timing of turning pages adds to the opportunity to reflect and feel in the moment. Perhaps it is a bit romantic or nostalgic, but I enjoy the work of finding the right light to read under, reading book spines on shelves, appreciating cover design and choice of paper stock. One of my favourite parts of any home is the physical presence of books.
E-books are convenient - but I can't imagine how they will replace writing forms that are woven with imagery and color like graphic novels, children’s books and artist books. There are so many kinds of reading - blogs, zines, novels - all demand different kinds of attention. It is exciting that writers have so many options. I just hope that they will continue to have access to the best forms to fit their work. As an artist who works in printmaking, zines and hand-made books - the e-book can't take the place of the printed page in my heart.
If there is a storm.
Everything before and everything to come is being decided in this moment
in this deep sound coming.
An audience of tall grass, the sky hints neon.
She picks at the dried bits of food glued to her cookbooks pages.
The recipes move into poems
she can’t read anymore, she watches the houseplants, they move just barely with the breeze.
Their waxy leaves are covered in dust,
she spends one hour gently cleaning them with a damp cloth.
Words have already been used to say this thing, I find myself tracing their steps
Her shoes are beige high heels,
they could get stuck in the grates of the fire escape.
It feels like Paris, but it is not.
He feels rich, like wool and butter, but he is poor.
Here the air tastes different, birds are still breaking the law.
We should take more trains in our own country.
Almost anywhere can look like Sweden.
My coffee is bitter.
I have been working so hard at getting married.
Words have already been used to say this thing, I find myself tracing their steps
Her shoes are beige high heels,
they could get stuck in the grates of the fire escape.
It feels like Paris, but it is not.
He feels rich, like wool and butter, but he is poor.
Here the air tastes different, birds are still breaking the law.
We should take more trains in our own country.
Almost anywhere can look like Sweden.
My coffee is bitter.
I have been working so hard at getting married.
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