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Reviews What Critics Say "There's a generosity of spirit here [Spare Words]—a measured, but still
joyful approach to
life that's as pleasing for its maturity as for its freshness . . . this poet [is] one who's studied life
and can present it honestly and warmly." - Rosemary Aubert, Poetry Canada
Review ". . . sensitive and poignant lyrics [Familiar Faces/Private Griefs]. She deals with
the loneliness
that comes from the loss of loved ones . . . in a way that confirms the commonality of our
concerns and emotions. . . . Poem after poem exhibits the spiritual and sensory power that
accompanies the image, the metaphor, the precise word." - Barbara J. Graham, CM:
Canadian Materials "[In Clarity Between Clouds] Ioannou sings the praises of human nature and its
strong ability to
learn through hardships . . . an experienced poet who possesses a gift for expressing emotions that
surface in the most unexpected situations. The most ordinary details of life, such as balance sheets
and kitchen decor, become inquiries into human thought and reflections of very real, accessible
feelings . . . a thoroughly enjoyable, highly recommended light read." - Carol Holland, Vox
Magazine "Commendably, [in Clarity Between Clouds] Ioannou subverts the speaker's
implicit faith in lost
determinacy to the extent that she emphasizes the delusory nature of orders and origins. . . .
Ioannou's work blossoms in the present tense, capturing the transmutative effects of light and the
progress of seasons, gardens, and 'indigo' skies." - Mark Cochrane, Essays on Canadian
Writing Susan Ioannou's Clarity Between Clouds celebrates the powers of light and sight.
. . . In each case
the moment inspires a luminous apprehension associated with love, grace, ease, or certainty. At
their best, the verses seem effortlessly melodic. . . . I am especially impressed by the assurance of
these poems, which observe but do not strain or moralize. Is this the attitude of midlife, as the
book's subtitle suggests?" - Jon Kertzer, Canadian Literature [Where the Light Waits] "In a time when young poets are rushing into print, mad
to publish
books and madder for
celebrity, it is refreshing to read a poet who quietly has taken the time to learn her craft and allow
it to mesh with experience. . . . Those who are familiar with seeing Ioannou's poetry in the
periodicals and anthologies over the past two decades might be surprised to learn that this is only
her fourth book. Her work has appeared in most of the major literaries in this time. Small wonder,
then, that only a few years after publishing Clarity Between Clouds, she can follow
with another superb collection. What we are seeing is the quiet unfolding of a substantial and
excellent body of work by someone who belongs in the company of our most skilful poets." (Ted
Plantos, People's Poetry Letter)
[Where the Light Waits] "Much like the short stories of Alice Munro in which the
ordinary is
made extraordinary, Susan Ioannou's poetry elevates simple nature and everyday experience into
the realm of the wondrous and sublime. Commonplace sights and events trigger inquiries into the
spiritual, and tiny miracles are everywhere, waiting to be discovered. . . . In her poems there is no
separation between inner and outer landscapes, only a dynamic
interaction, an intertwining. By immersing ourselves in the nature that surrounds us, we plumb
our own inner depths, journeying further into ourselves. . . . Through elegant imagery, Ioannou
paints a world in which each small thing, each moment is
whole and beautiful, to be cherished for its simplicity, yet exists also as a miracle of complexity, a
piece of a larger intricate puzzle. The ability to express this paradox is the hallmark of Ioannou's
immense talent." - Nicole Hesse, University College Alumni Magazine. [Where the Light Waits] "These wide-ranging poems, which take for inspiration
storms and gardens as well as pulsars and galaxies, mostly begin or end with people growing older
or observing youth, blending the rhythms of nature's cycles with those of the human body and of
human life. . . . They are thought-provoking to be sure." - Chris Knight, Canadian Book
Review Annual 1997 "A Real Farm Girl is a glorious reading experience for a young girl or boy. Its
action occurs on
an old-fashioned farm complete with chamber pots under the bed, chickens laying eggs for young
girls to gather, weasels to prey on the chickens, barn cats, pigs, cows to milk, and even a bull.
Young Mary's dad is away at war so she spends time on her grandmother's farm where she learns
farm ways so she can prove she belongs." - Karen Shewbridge, St. John's
Telegram
"[A Magical Clockwork] is highly detailed and well researched,
and potentially an invaluable guide for students and readers of poetry, especially
those trying to lessen the number of brow-creasing rereadings it sometimes takes
to understand a poem." - Desi Di Nardo Online
"A Magical Clockwork succeeds at examining the fundamental elements of a
poem, making it an ideal read for anyone who is just beginning to delve into the world of poetry.
I would also recommend it to established writers as a valuable reminder that there are still many
lessons to be learned from reading other people's work." - Leila S. Goldberger,Writer's Block
[A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem] "What better way to get
the student writing than to focus on perception and language construction; to have the writer
revel in the plasticity of sound and image while pushing the connotative and denotative meanings
of words? This is a good book by a good poet and perfectly priced for the financially strapped
student. It is written in a fresh, colloquial but precise prose style that demonstrates the verities and
virtues of which it speaks. The clockwork pinwheels of metaphor glisten and spin throughout." -
Richard Stevenson, The Danforth Review.
[A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem] ". . . it's the classy
educational tour that encourages readers not to be page turners, but to go deep. . . . Here's a
guarantee: you'll come away impressed from this tour. Read Ioannou's book and recommend it to
all your friends, those who feel awkward and excluded by poetry and those who love and care
about what makes a good poem." - Jannie Edwards, Poetry Spoken Here.
[A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem] "She is a wonderful
instructor: her tone is familiar rather than academic, her analysis is fluid and clear, and examples
are brief and apt. And these are just a few of the book's virtues. Ioannou also draws almost
exclusively upon Canadian examples. . . . Perhaps most importantly, Ioannou lives up to her own
principle—inherited from the Imagist tradition—that 'Precise, concrete language is the
foundation of vivid writing . . .' A Magical Clockwork includes one of the clearest
explanations of rhythm and poetic metre that I have ever come across." - Rob Thomas,
WORD
"I highly recommend this book. A Magical Clockwork is a clear analysis of the
structure of a poem. Ioannou illustrates her arguments with excellent examples. Most of the
excerpts are by Canadian poets and would be very useful for classroom study. I also appreciated
the brief historical context she provided to illustrate her points. Especially interesting was her
discussion of contemporary Canadian poetry: how it evolved and speculations about future forms.
Every teacher of English/Language Arts in Canada should have easy access to A Magical
Clockwork." - Terry Vatrt, CM: Canadian Review of
Materials.
[A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem] "presents a workable
framework that not only respects the craft of poetry-writing but also illuminates what makes
people so passionate about it. . . . The high quotient of contemporary reference all by itself would
make the book of real value in high school English classrooms. As well as analysis of how these
poems achieve particular effects, [Ioannou] offers herself as a generous and informed model of
how to be a reader of contemporary poetry and why it matters." - Margaret Mackey,
Resource Links.
"She believes in the craft and in the importance of poetry itself in the world. This book is
designed to help the reader appreciate and perfect the craft of poetry. It must be made clear that
this is a technical book and not a self-helpy you too can be a poet-type treatise." - Jeffrey Mackie,
Vallum Magazine
"In A Magical Clockwork, Susan Ioannou clearly demonstrates a zealous sense of
poetic mission, a love of poetry, and a healthy respect for the challenges and rigours of writing
poems. Her opening pages show an eagerness to get to her preferred subject, the actual work of
writing poetry, combined with impassioned but impressionistic interpretations of her favourite
poems." - Rachelle K. Lerner, lichen
"Ms. Ioannou deserves full marks for doing her homework and ensuring that her poems are
technically accurate. Where else can you find poems containing words, which are close to the
hearts of mining people, such as 'magnetometer', 'feldspar', 'GPS-gizmos', 'Precambrian',
'octahedral', 'reclaiming' and 'kimberlite.' . . . While the outmoded stereotype of a miner may
be the antithesis of poetry in some people’s minds, perhaps it is time to update the image of the
miner as more of a Renaissance Man, or Woman, who has a sensitive and contemplative artistic side.
The mining sector should embrace this collection of poetry, which shows the industry from a different
and enlightening perspective, as its own."- Peter McBride, Ontario Mining Association Newsletter
"Looking Through Stone: Poems about the Earth casts a rare but welcome
spotlight on the usually ignored inanimate world around us. We were intrigued
and not a little overwhelmed by this unexpected celebration of our métier.
As reviewer Andrew Linder astutely points out on Page 18, 'There can never be
too many tools for hard-rock mining. Why not poetry?' . . . Susan Ioannou’s passion
for rocks is refreshing. Let’s hope it’s also contagious." - Norm Tollinksy, Sudbury
Mining Solutions Journal
"It is remarkable that the poet, Susan Ioannou, can find enough separate subjects and maintain
enough interest to produce the scores of works that appear in this short book [Looking Through Stone:
Poems about the Earth], but that just shows how unimaginative we can become about what
is clearly shown to be a rich and evocative field." - Jane Werniuk, Canadian Mining Journal
[Looking Through Stone] "tells of geology’s natural history factually and poetically.
It surprises like the best dessert and I could not put it down, before the last page had turned.
Everybody with the least knowledge of English and geology will read the book with
ravenous appetite." - translation from the Danish of Hans Kloster, Lapidomanen
"At first glance one could be forgiven for thinking that Looking Through Stone was some sort of
New Age anthology of poetry about rocks and crystals, but Susan Ioannou has accomplished much
more than simply combining mysticism, geology, mineralogy and poetry. She has managed to take all
of those things and blend them with scientific facts which go beyond mere amateur observations, with
history and myths which are surprising and enlightening, and with passion and beauty, which draws
the reader eagerly onward for the next poem." - Adge Covell, MinersAdvice
"Looking Through Stone: Poems about the Earth would make an interesting resource for
the intermediate science and language arts teacher. The poetic style is solid and the topics interesting and
unusual." - Gail Lennon, Resource Links
"Looking Through Stone is an interesting attempt to take the imagery of verse and
narrative to new dimensions and to thereby enter the parallel universe of art. It does meet Ioannou's
three criteria. The images are readily accessible, falling 'easily and elegantly within the line.'
With the final section, it almost . . . achieves a 'seamless whole.' - John Cunningham,
Praire Fire Review of Books
"Looking Through Stone . . . uses geology as the basis for reflections on self, soul, and society . . .
each mineral and metal is a 'philosopher’s stone,' a touchstone, permitting and supporting the poet’s speculation." -
George Elliott Clarke, The Chronicle Herald.
"There is in poet Susan Ioannou’s Looking Through Stone an interesting development of the idea
of the poem as ‘stone’ that makes it a 'both solid and beautiful' undertaking. But it’s more than simply a collection
of poetry, or a typology of stone poems (as the book is divided about equally between the geological and mythical-folklorish):
she offers the reader an even interestingly wider window on ecology in general." - Conrad DiDiodato, Word-Dreamer:poetics.
"Ioannou’s poems [Looking Through Stone] are straightforward, mostly narrative and primarily descriptive. They are readily accessible
and written in simple language. Beyond geological terms, they contain no arcane words, contorted structures,
convoluted metaphors or complex imagery, nor do they contain jingling rhymes. Like the rocks they describe,
these poems are direct and uncompromising. The world of bioscience has long had its poets; anthologies
abound with fine word-paintings of animals and plants. The world of geoscience is much overdue for a
similar treatment and spotlight. In this collection, Susan Ioannou has made a valuable contribution to this
enterprise. And, along the way, she amply succeeds in showing us different ways to look through stone." - Alwynne B. Beaudoin,
GEOLOG, The Newsmagazine of the Geological Association of Canada.
Holding True: Essays on Being a Writer: "Writer, editor, and teacher Susan Ioannou
shares the wisdom of her experience in this collection of essays that are—variously—cautionary,
encouraging, satirical, and pragmatic . . . reflections on the submissions she received while
fiction editor at Cross-Canada Writers’ Quarterly are amusing as well as admonitory
(and, unfortunately, do not seem to have dated one bit)."
Critical
Response
Profiles and Interviews
1. Listed in Who's Who in Canadian Literature.
2. Listed in Cambridge Biographical Centre Publications: International Who's Who in Poetry
and
Poet's Encyclopaedia, and International Authors and Writers Who's Who.
3. "Getting to Know Susan Ioannou", Arts Scarborough Newsletter, November 1981.
4. "Reader Friendly", profile of Susan Ioannou by Gordon E. Symons, Canadian
Author, Fall, 1992.
5. "A Patchwork Quilt of
Imagination: What Poetry Means to Me", profile and poetry in
Canadian Author, Fall, 1995.
6. "Where My Poems Come From", speech given to the Literary Table, The Arts and Letters
Club of Toronto, October 22, 1996.
7. "Interview with Susan Ioannou", by Rand Bellavia, Inklings, Issue 3.2, January
1997.
8. Susan Ioannou: one-hour interview by Fergus Cronin, edited transcript, Archives, The Arts and
Letters Club of Toronto, April 7, 1998.
9. "People of the Club: Susan Ioannou", by Fergus Cronin, Lampsletter, Vol. 57, No.
5, May 1998.
10. "Interview: Susan Ioannou", by Tais Lintz, Poetry Moments (CPA Burlington
Newsletter), Issue 2, March 2002,
http://www.geocities.com/burlingtonchapter/interview2.html
11. Interview with Susan Ioannou by Dan Lessard, Points North: Chapter and Verse, CBC Radio One Sudbury, 99.9 FM, May 1, 2007.
12. "Poems about the Earth: Award-winning poet explores the magic and mystery of rocks", by Andrew Linder,
Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal, June 1, 2007.
13. "Interview with Susan Ioannou", whohub, 2008.
14. Canadian Literature CanLit Poets, 2009.
1. Spare Words, reviewed by Rosemary Aubert, Poetry Canada
Review, Vol. 6, No. 4, Summer 1985.
2. Motherpoems, reviewed by Louise Longo, Books in Canada, October
1985.
3. Motherpoems, reviewed in The Compleat Mother, October 1985.
4. The Crafted Poem, reviewed by Dorothy Cameron Smith in MCC
Newspacket, No. 1, March 1986.
5. Motherpoems, reviewed by Dorothy Cameron Smith, MCC
Newspacket, No. 2, May 1986.
6. The Crafted Poem, reviewed by Sheila Martindale, Canadian Author &
Bookman, Spring 1986.
7. The Crafted Poem, reviewed by Joanne Peters, Canadian Materials for
Schools and
Libraries,Vol. XIV, No. 2, March 1986.
8. Motherpoems, reviewed by Sparling Mills, Poetry Canada
Review,Vol. 7, No. 4, Summer 1986.
9. Familiar Faces/Private Griefs, reviewed by Barbara J. Graham, Canadian
Materials for
Schools and Libraries, Vol. XIV, No. 4, July 1986.
10. The Crafted Poem, reviewed by Gerald Noonan, Canadian Children's
Literature, No. 45, 1987.
11. Writing Reader-friendly Poems, reviewed by Louise Reimer, Canadian
Materials for Schools
and Libraries, November, 1989.
12. Writing Reader-friendly Poems, recommended for senior years in Manitoba
schools, In
Search of Canadian Materials, 1989.
13. The Crafted Poem, recommended for Manitoba schools, In Search of
Canadian Materials, 1989.
14. Clarity Between Clouds, reviewed by George Elliott Clarke, Books in
Canada, March 1992.
15. Clarity Between Clouds, reviewed by Carol Holland, Vox Magazine,
March 1992.
16. Clarity Between Clouds, reviewed by Tara Kainer, Quarry, Vol. 41,
No. 4, Fall 1992.
17. Clarity Between Clouds, reviewed by Jon Kertzer, Canadian
Literature, No. 136, Spring 1993.
18. Clarity Between Clouds, reviewed by Anne Burke, Literature and
Language, 1993.
19. Read-aloud Poems, reviewed by Maryleah Otto, CM: Canadian
Materials, September 1993.
20. Clarity Between Clouds, reviewed by Sheila Hyland, Poemata, Vol.
10, No. 5, 1994.
21. The Crafted Poem (Revised Edition), reviewed by Gail Lennon, CM:
Canadian Materials,
September 1994.
22. Clarity Between Clouds, reviewed by Mark Cochrane, Essays on Canadian
Writing, Vol. 55,
Spring 1995.
23. Where the Light Waits, reviewed by Ted Plantos, People's Poetry
Letter, Vol. 3, No. 2,
Fall/Winter 1996.
24. Where the Light Waits, reviewed by Tanis MacDonald, Literary and
Performance Scenes,
Winter 1996.
25. Where the Light Waits, reviewed by Sheila Hyland, Poemata Vol. 13,
No. 123, April/May 1997.
26. Where the Light Waits, reviewed by Nicole Hesse, University College
Alumni Magazine, Fall 1997.
27. The Crafted Poem and Writing Reader-friendly
Poems, reviewed by Liam C. Rodrigues,CM
Magazine, Vol. II, No. 1, October 20, 1995.
28. Where the Light Waits, reviewed by Chris Knight, Canadian Book Review
Annual 1997, Toronto, 1998.
29. A Real Farm Girl, reviewed by Beverley Brenna, The Saskatoon Star
Phoenix, January 23, 1999.
30. A Real Farm Girl, reviewed by Karen Shewbridge, The St. John's
Telegram, February 7, 1999.
31. The Crafted Poem and Writing Reader-friendly Poems, reviewed by
Anthony Chalk, Poemata, Vol. 15, No. 1, January-February 1999.
32. The Crafted Poem and Writing Reader-friendly Poems, reviewed by
Jim Morrison, Poetry and Prose, March 9, 1999.
33. The Crafted Poem and Writing Reader-friendly Poems, reviewed by
Anthony Chalk, The Canadian Writer's Journal, Vol. 16, No. 1, Spring 1999.
34. A Real Farm Girl, reviewed in Midwest Book Review, March
1999.
35. A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem, reviewed by Desi Di Nardo,
Literary Review of Canada, November 2000.
36. A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem, reviewed by Leila S.
Goldberger, Writer's Block, Winter 2000.
37. A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem, reviewed by Richard
Stevenson, The Danforth Review, January 2001.
38. A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem, reviewed by Jannie
Edwards, Poetry Spoken Here, January 2001.
39. A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem, reviewed by Rob Thomas,
WORD, February 2001.
40. A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem, reviewed by Charlie
Rossiter, "Charlie Says", PoetryPoetry.com, February 2001.
41. A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem, reviewed by Terry
Vatrt, CM: Canadian Review of Materials, Vol. VII, No. 12, February 2001.
42. A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem, reviewed by Margaret
Mackey, Resource Links, Vol. 6, No. 3, February 2001.
43. "Canadian Poets, Learn Your Trade", review of A Magical Clockwork: The Art of
Writing the Poem by Carmine Starnino, Canadian Notes and Queries, No. 59,
Spring and Summer 2001.
44. A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem, reviewed by Jeffrey Mackie,
Vallum Magazine, Spring 2002.
45. A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem, reviewed by Rachelle K.
Lerner, lichen, Vol. 4, No. 1, Spring 2002.
46. A Magical Clockwork: The Art of Writing the Poem, reviewed by Heather
Crawford, BCTELA Update, Vol. 44, No. 3, 2002.
47. "New Book: Looking Through Stone", PDAC Mining Matters News, Issue 9, April 2007.
48. Looking Through Stone: Poems about the Earth, reviewed by
Peter McBride, Ontario Mining Association Newsletter, May 30, 2007.
49. Looking Through Stone: Poems about the Earth, reviewed by Norm Tollinksy,
Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal, June 2007.
50. Looking Through Stone: Poems about the Earth, reviewed by Jane Werniuk, Canadian Mining Journal, June 2007.
51. Looking Through Stone: Poems about the Earth, reviewed by Hans
Kloster, Lapidomanen (Denmark), Vol,. 33, No. 3, July 2007.
52. Looking Through Stone: Poems about the Earth, reviewed by
Gail Lennon, Resource Links, Vol. 13, No. 4, April 2008.
53. Looking Through Stone: Poems about the Earth, reviewed by
John Cunningham, Prairie Fire Review of Books, October 2008.
54. Holding True: Essays on Being a Writer, reviewed by Bernard Kelly,
paperplates, Vol. 7, No. 2, 2009.
55. Looking Through Stone: Poems about the Earth, reviewed by George Elliott Clarke,
The Chronicle Herald, June 14, 2009.
56. Looking Through Stone: Poems about the Earth, reviewed by Conrad DiDiodato,
Word-Dreamer:poetics, July 24, 2009.
57. Looking Through Stone: Poems about the Earth, reviewed by Alwynne B. Beaudoin,
GEOLOG, The Newsmagazine of the Geological Association of Canada, Vol. 38, No. 3, Fall 2009.
"Ioannou's work, at its best, has a street-wise toughness, coupled with an eye for detail that is
effective . . . The strength of [Motherpoems] lies in the range of emotional responses
to
motherhood that Ioannou captures. She's covering new territory and saying something that needs
to be said." - Louise Longo, Books In Canada
Updated November 2009
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