April is National Poetry Month, a yearly event that raises awareness and fosters appreciation for poets and poetry. In keeping, this month, we’ll be shining the spotlight on the fine poets we’ve been publishing lately, and on their outstanding collections.

Today, we’re featuring Leon Rooke, a prolific storyteller and self-described “raffish bum”. Now based in Toronto, he is perhaps best known for his novels, such as the Governor General’s Award winning Shakespeare’s Dog, as well as A Good Baby, which was made into a feature film. He has also written a number of radio and stage plays, short story collections, and several poetry collections, including Hot Poppies and The April Poems. His works are known for their charming, inventive language, experimental form and a wide range of characters with distinctive voices. 

Rooke’s new poetry collection, Rank Songbirds, is a humorous yet profound take on love, desire, resilience and human frailty—and it’s hot off the press here at PQL. (For a consideration of the book as a cohesive narrative, don’t miss this blog post.) To spread the love for this intimate and witty collection, we’re giving away a print copy to a lucky PQL fan.

How to enter:

1. Log in to the form below using email, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

2. Earn up to five entries by visiting Facebook and Instagram, tweeting on Twitter or by signing up to our newsletter. (If you’re already a newsletter subscriber, an avid social media follower, or an avid social media avoider, the bonus entry method is for you!)

3. Log out of the form to submit your entry.

The winner will be contacted by email next week.

Poetry Month Giveaway 2021: Leon Rooke’s Rank Songbirds

Best of luck to all who enter! And for extra fun, be sure to check out Leon Rooke’s other PQL titles, including The House on Major Street, Fabulous Fictions and Peculiar Practices, Muffins and The Happiness of Others. They are so entertaining, creative and fun—perfect for Poetry Month.

Cheers,