Canada’s coolest bards

Canada’s contemporary poet laureates (17 in all) have come a long way since the post was instituted 400 years ago in King James’ court. The current crop of progressive poets convened for the first time in Halifax this week to discuss the importance of poetry in a country that just might be on “the cusp of an artistic renaissance”:

"A poet laureate is a person that tries to promote the lot of art, music, poetry and instill in the hearts of people the importance of listening to and writing poetry and the feeling that you can get from poetry," (Cobalt, Ontario laureate Ann Margetson) said.

"You can make people laugh, you can make people cry, you can comfort someone, you can make them go 'Awww!' If you can do that in the community, be it great or small, then you've achieved something."