David Hickey to Launch First Poetry Book, November 9

Island native David Hickey will launch his first poetry collection, In the Lights of a Midnight Plow, published by Biblioasis, on Thursday, November 9, at 7:30 p.m., in the Faculty Lounge, Main Building, at UPEI. The public is invited to celebrate the emergence of this talented writer on the Canadian literary scene. The launch is hosted by the UPEI English Department.

David grew up on PEI, in western Labrador, and along the north shore of Quebec. Also an athlete, he was a member of the PEI provincial junior basketball team. He graduated in 2000 with a B.A. Hons. in English from UPEI, and earned an M.A. in Creative Writing and English from the University of New Brunswick.

His poetry has been awarded the Milton Acorn Prize and the Ralph Gustafson Prize, and in 2005 he received the prestigious international Petra Kenney Poetry Prize. His poetry has appeared in magazines and journals across Canada and the United States.

His poetry ranges from life on PEI, for example, "Channel Markers," "The Field's Afterthoughts," and "Evening at the Charlottetown Airport," where "my grandfather / watches another plane bring its wheels / to his farm," to "House Fire" and "The Afterlives of [baseball legend] Ted Williams," who spent his retirement fishing in the Miramachi.

An avid runner and backyard astronomer, he now lives in Johnston's River.