The
Eclectic Muse
Managing Editor
The
Eclectic Muse has published poets and writers from Canada, Malta, the United
Kingdom, the United States, and elsewhere. The Eclectic Muse publishes poetry
and prose of various styles, but always reflects the passion of its Managing
Editor, the poet, essayist and critic Joe M. Ruggier. Mr. Ruggier's
passion is for poetry that sings and moves, for poetry that embraces rather than
denies or defies the traditions of English poetry. If you believe as he does
Contributors to
The Eclectic Muse have included Michael
R. Burch, Jack Butler, Esther Cameron, Ralph O. Cunningham, Jim Dunlap, Ida Fasel, Carol Frith, Roy Harrison,
Philip Higson, Keith Holyoak, Kathryn Jacobs, Zyskandar Jaimot, Leland Jamieson,
Richard Lighthouse, John Morgan, Mary E. Moore, John Nixon Jr., Richard Moore,
Mary Rae, Daniel Rajala, Gordon Ramel, Warren Stevenson, Ian Thornley, V. Ulea (Vera Zubarev),
and Marly Youmans.
Joe
M. Ruggier
Board of
Academic Consultants
Professor LeRoy D. Travis
S. Warren Stevenson (Professor Emeritus, UBC)
"There
are many mansions in Parnassus!"
Sample
Poems
In Praise of Meter by Michael R. Burch
The earth is full of rhythms so precise
the octave of the crystal can produce
a trillion oscillations, yet not lose
a second’s beat. The ear needs no device
to hear the unsprung rhythms of the couch
drown out the mouth’s; the lips can be debauched
by kisses, should the heart put back its watch
and find the pulse of love, and sing, devout.
If moons and tides in interlocking dance
obey their numbers, what's been left to chance?
Should poets be more lax—their circumstance
as humble as it is?—or readers wince
to see their ragged numbers thin, to hear
the moans of drones drown out the Chanticleer?
The Suicide by John Nixon Jr.
With the starlight tarnished
And the moon askew
And the rainbow sagging—
What could he do?
When the mortar smashed
Where he blent the erotic
And the comic, it left
Him no narcotic.
And his peers said crazy
Or a coward at best
But a few said weary
And let him rest.
Reading the Leaves, an English Madrigal by Carol Frith
Think about your question. Concentrate.
Turn your cup three times and drain the tea.
The patterns that remain are augury.
Fierce omens, these symbols indicate
your future, a crown and cross for destiny.
Think about your question. Concentrate.
Turn your cup three times and drain the tea,
then read the omens that the leaves create.
Consult the dragon and the fleur-de-lis.
Is fate your lover or your enemy?
Think about your question. Concentrate.
Turn your cup three times and drain the tea,
The patterns that remain are augury.
The Poet Makes Contact by Richard Moore
Posh suburb, seeing me, you say,
"Rummage-sale-suited knave,
thou rescuer on garbage day
of saucepans from the grave,
say, quick: what are you doing here,
delving in all our cans?"
I reply, "Judgment Day is near.
It's fate I fish for. Man's."
Joe M. Ruggier
Joe M. Ruggier was born in Malta in 1956 and has written and published poetry
in both Maltese and English. He currently resides in Richmond, British
Columbia, where he manages a small press, Multicultural Books. Multicultural Books
publishes poetry, poetry leaflets, sound recordings, fiction and literary
fiction.
Joe Ruggier has sold over 20,000 books, many of them door-to-door, including
over 10,000 books he wrote and published himself. There are over 5,700
copies in print of his book Out of Blue Nothing. Information on Joe M. Ruggier's books, cassettes and poetry journal:
Intelligible Mystery (1985)
Out of Blue Nothing (1985) ISBN 0-9694933-0-4
The Voice of the Millions (1988)
In the Suburbs of Europe (1991)
Moods for Lovers (1993 ) Cassette
This Eternal Hubbub (1995)
regrets hopes regards and prayers ... (1996)
Lady Vancouver (1997)
A Richer Blessing (1999 ) ISBN 0-9681948-3-4
The Poetry of George Borg Translated from the Maltese by Joe M. Ruggier
(2000)
The Eclectic Muse, a poetry journal edited by Joe M. Ruggier
To order any of the above, please write or call first for availability and
prices. Please make checks payable to Joe Ruggier.
Multicultural Books
Suite 307
6311 Gilbert Road
Richmond, B.C., Canada V7C 3V7
Telephone: (604) 600-8819
The HyperTexts