To celebrate National Poetry Month, East and West Learning Connections will host an online event: Borderless: Richard Greene and Anna Yin on Cannibal Rats, on April 21. Please stay tuned for details.
Richard Greene will share poems from his new collection Cannibal Rats, works that both engage and illuminate what was once called “the human condition.” Using the book as a lens on historical injustices and their resonance in today’s chaotic world, we will explore what history teaches us—or fails to teach—and how shifting human destinies intertwined with the lives of animals.
He will also speak about his personal experiences, including his battle with cancer and his mother’s illness, and how these shape the emotional and thematic core of the title poem and the collection as a whole. Reflecting on the value of poetry and art—especially in translation—he will offer insights into their enduring relevance.
Anna Yin will share her Chinese translation of Richard’s Cannibal Rats, along with her challenges and discoveries in navigating its historical and cultural allusions within both a Canadian and personal context. The audience will be invited to join the discussion, contributing perspectives on translation, culture, and interpretation.
Richard Greene will share poems from his new collection Cannibal Rats, works that both engage and illuminate what was once called “the human condition.” Using the book as a lens on historical injustices and their resonance in today’s chaotic world, we will explore what history teaches us—or fails to teach—and how shifting human destinies intertwined with the lives of animals.
Anna Yin was Mississauga’s inaugural Poet Laureate (2015–2017) and is the author of seven poetry collections, including Breaking Into Blossom (Frontenac Press, 2025). She has translated four poetry books, notably Mirrors and Windows (Guernica Editions, 2021). Her work has appeared in Queen’s Quarterly, ARC Poetry, The New York Times, China Daily, CBC Radio, and more. She has read on Parliament Hill, at international festivals, and at universities in China, Canada, and the U.S. A recipient of multiple awards and grants, she created and teaches Poetry Alive to bring poetry into schools, colleges, and communities.