POET, YES SOMEHOW HE KNOWS IT
After a recent reading event held at the Pugwash Library, located in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, presented by the Truro, Nova Scotia-based, Chad Norman, at which only two attended, the poet, yes, somehow he know it, this time mainly because of his disappointment, chose to share a complaint about that lack of attendance and poor support by the community, one apparently is populated by artists and other writers/poets. The complaint was posted on a page known as ‘What’s Happening In Pugwash”, found on Facebook. It was posted for the obvious reason, as well as a message between the lines, hinting that it is good to support the local library, especially in a time here in Nova Scotia when the government is closing libraries. Needless to say there were a number of varied posts, all of which the poet read, commented on, sent friend requests to, defended his stance over, and wonderfully caused this article. An invitation from Mr. Paul Moore came about, certainly surprising the poet, ultimately after some quick clarification and suggestive directions, became what convinced
Norman to agree and share where he comes from, and how he somehow knows it.
After 43 years of living/surviving life as a poet, an unattended, or sparsely attended reading event hurts, leaves one feeling hollow and surprised even, and mostly wondering about the lack of support. Norman is quite aware of the times he’s living in, to say the least; he has to be in order to receive the poetry when it is sent, understanding that now is more important than ever. He knew a bit about it when standing at the beginning of what has become a path he has cut and shared with many, many people. However, then, in 1984 Poetry just under his skin, first poem published, an Honourable Mention and a $10.00 cheque, he had no idea what obstacles would come about, all of them because there was Professor or Teacher income, only the hope whatever soul-sucking job he had would help to cover any types of expenses
In order to keep writing and surviving as a poet. In his twenties poems began appear across Canada in various publications from literary magazines to newspapers, along with the odd features in international publications. Every so often there came a cheque too, always shocking but very appreciated. Norman learned quickly there wasn’t much money in what was taking him over.
City after city, town after town, the poems continued to find him,
He kept himself easy to find, writing all the time, so the poetry found him a “reliable vessel”, as advised by Walt Whitman, one of Norman’s much read and loved American poets. He also began to realize his poetry could be read aloud, must be read aloud, so the
open-mics became important to attend, which took place mostly in Calgary. And, because of those opportunities he soon had in his hands a chapbook, On The Urban Prairie & Other Shorter Poems,
Published by Green’s Publishing from the Prairies. Things changed then, having an actual book, chapbook or not, started him thinking about arranging his own readings, or readings that included other poets. After finding his way through 8 years of Boom-town life he left for the Fraser Valley in B.C., where lousy jobs continued, he battled with marriages, lousy jobs, but still managed to keep writing. It was in Chilliwack he formed The Vital Community, a group for local people into Poetry, along with more rigorous organizing of public reading events. Norman was 25 at the time.
During his years in the Fraser Valley he also was a co-founder of a poetry-touring group known as Grassroots Oracles, and while a member two group chapbooks were published with funds they raised themselves. As the 90s approached Norman saw that his time in Chilliwack was soon to end, while working at a window plant which he commuted to located in Abbotsford. It was during this time he founded Stray Dog Poetry Project, another touring group which visited Washington State, Vancouver Island, and a number of communities throughout the province. The next move was to Vancouver. What became both profoundly beneficial and sadly disastrous. A life living with another poet. More chapbooks and an anthology celebrating Russian poet, Mayakovsky, Wearing The Yellow Jacket appeared, published again, by the members of Stray Dog.
The Vancouver Daze is how Norman refers to his time there. He
was able to overcome more drainage from difficult types of jobs, but the writing continued along with the publication of his first “trade” book put out by Victoria, B.C. based, Ekstasis Editions. A collection which came out in 1997, The Breath of One, which Norman promoted with a cross-Canada tour called Live The Reading Life, sponsored Via Rail, Kegs Steakhouse, Acadian Bus Lines, and Keddys Hotels and Inns. A 22 date tour he arranged while recovering from a broken leg, using only a phone and fax machine. While living in the city he moved to Commercial Drive
where he created several successful reading and music series, arranging and hosting, and in some cases dealing with provincial and federal funding sources, in order to have his guest paid. A huge accomplishment in itself. For a time he supported himself as an agent, tour designer, adult ed. Instructor, prison workshop instructor, and workshop in all levels of schools and education facilities. In 2001 his second “trade” book appeared, brought out by Broken Jaw Press, at the time located in Fredericton, N.B. A collection, These Are My Elders: 30 Poems for 30 Poets, to thank all of the poets included, all Canadian poets, many living right in the Vancouver area.
Disaster struck in 2001, another unfortunate series of years he withstood, and two more years would pass in the city until Norman it was time to move again. So he took off his hat, dropped in three pieces of paper , each one with a location he would head to: Victoria, B.C. or Kamloops, B.C., or Masstown, N.S.. He reached in, opened his eyes, and there he found his future. So, in 2003 he hopped on a Greyhound, and 5 days later found himself at a bus depot In Truro, N.S., where he was picked up by a cousin and driven out to the restorative farmlands of Masstown, where he once worked on a family dairy farm from 1970-75. It was there, with family he began to recover himself, far away from that Daze mentioned here earlier, and a to aid that recovery he kept writing and chose to move into the town of Truro. At this point other books and many poems had been published, so it was one of his hopes to be now known as a “Maritime” poet, he felt it would be important and helpful to have him accepted into the existing literary/poetical community. For awhile this did happen, but gradually as he witness more and more he realized the Academics, both young and old, were busy looking after themselves and each other. This was enlightening and nothing Norman then knew would be helpful for him, so the lone-wolf took over, what he knew best. A decision, a necessary and good one, that led him to
hosting many types of events like Freedom To Read, National Poetry Month, and readings to help other poets with their books.
Another effort was made, Norman founded RiverWords: Poetry And Music Festival in Truro, which brought together poets and musicians and songwriters of all ages and levels. He made sure they all were paid with grants from the Town, something extremely important to him: artists must be paid. The festival lasted for a number of years, until the Town no longer wanted to support it because of what they believed was low attendance. Funny, not one councillor attended, ever. I should note I was growing tired of the work it took to make the festival happen.
It didn’t take long for Norman to notice Truro really isn’t a Poetry town, so the feeling being on an ice-flow just floating around set in, and he went inward once more, and found more struggles with the mind-draining jobs, however he continued to complete full collections of poems, and even two books for children, until the gift of official retirement freed him. Since then he has grown into a new style of capturing and getting poems down, with no further worry or stress like shift-work applied to his output, or ability to stay sane enough to get to where he is today. Fall 2026 finds him no longer a member of the League of Canadian, the Federation of N.S. Writers, and the Writers’ Union of Canada, all three no pointless to be part of; at one point years ago he would have his reading applications approved, to cover a reading fee and some travel expenses, now no longer happening, in fact he was lucky to have one approved. There is no reason to go into what happened, you wouldn’t like the story, so Norman returns to what has always been the way, the D-I-Y method (do-it-yourself). His latest Fall 2026 N.S. Reading tour is on, a chance to support libraries, as well as his new collection, A Life Between The Brackets, as well gaining knowledge about the birth of Canadian Poetry, with chats about the poets born in Nova Scotia who helped, along with readings of their poems, in each of his stops. So, you can be part of this journey, and support a N.S. library; here is his upcoming itinerary: Truro Library; Nov. 7th, 2 pm, Pictou Library, and to end the tour he’s been invited Nov. 26th, 4:30 pm, for a university appearance at Mt. A. in Sackville, N.S..