The Great Canadian Poet Eminating

It has seemed to me over the years that becoming a successful artist in Canada is like applying for a position in the civil service. Art grants are a gauntlet of ass kissing. And then there are the teaching positions available in our academic institutions. More ass kissing. When I was a student at the University of Windsor, Morley Callaghan was teaching a creative writing class. He asked everyone in the class who was interested in learning to become a writer to put up their hands. Then he suggested that they drop the course, and go out into the real world and listen.