- Dudek, Louis
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▪ 2002Canadian poet (b. Feb. 6, 1918, Montreal, Que.—d. March 22, 2001, Montreal), was one of Canada's most influential poets; he was particularly noted for his book-length poems, including Europe (1955), En México (1958), and Atlantis (1967). Dudek was a professor at McGill University, Montreal, from 1951 until the time of his death. In 1952 he helped launch Contact Press, which published leading Canadian poets of the 1950s and '60s. Dudek also published his own literary journal, Delta, from 1957 to 1966. He was named a member of the Order of Canada in 1984. His last book, Surface of Time, appeared in 2000.
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▪ Canadian poet and publisherborn February 6, 1918, Montreal, Quebec, Canadadied March 22, 2001, MontrealCanadian poet noted for his development of the nonnarrative long poem.Educated at McGill University (where he later taught) and Columbia University, Dudek was a highly influential editor and critic. His poetic output includes East of the City (1946); The Transparent Sea (1956), love poems; and Laughing Stalks (1958), a social satire that includes parodies of Canadian poets and critics. Dudek's poems reflect his power of observation of people, places, and objects. The influence of Ezra Pound is evident in Europe (1954; rev. ed. 1991), a travelogue poem in 99 cantos inspired by observations of several countries on the European continent. Another anthology, Cross Section (1980), contains poems written between 1940 and 1980. His other verse works include the long poems Continuation I (1981) and Continuation II (1990) and the poetry collections Infinite Worlds (1988), Small Perfect Things (1991), The Caged Tiger (1997), and Surface of Time (2000).Dudek's prose works include The Theory of the Image in Modern Poetry (1981), Ideas for Poetry (1983), and In Defence of Art (1988; a collection of critical essays and reviews).Dudek, a major figure in Canadian small-press publishing, cofounded Contact Press, Delta Canada, and D.C. Books (all small presses) and the McGill Poetry Series. From 1957 to 1966 he also published his own literary journal, Delta. Dudek was named a member of the Order of Canada in 1984.Additional ReadingGeorge Hildebrand (ed.), Louis Dudek: Essays on His Works (2001).* * *
Universalium. 2010.
