kireji: partial portraits and biofictions represents the process of finding one’s voice, poetic or otherwise, through the presence, and linguistic portraits, of others in one’s life. The word kireji itself refers to a guideline of the traditional haiku; it means the cutting word, and can be used to juxtapose the first twelve syllables with the last five in order to cut the stream of thought create a revelation or surprise at the end of poem. Having been made up of poetic fragments that have been stitched together over many years, kireji draws from the poet’s interpersonal and artistic influences, however fleeting they may be; as with many birds who find their song through mimicking and adapting other birdsongs in their ecosystem, differentiation necessitates the recognition of influence and its filtration through our limited points of view.
christian favreau is a poet, freelance writer, and climate justice organizer living in montréal (tio’tia:ke). his work has appeared in antilang, lantern, vallum, and elsewhere. he has been a featured reader at mcgill’s poetry matters. this is his first book.