Shaunt Basmajian (1950-1990) was born in Beirut to Armenian parents. His family moved to Toronto when he was a child. Eventually, he would live in the USA, Vancouver and Toronto before returning to Toronto. He was a founder of the Canadian Poetry Association, co-founder of Old Nun Publications, and was a member of the Parliament Street Library (Toronto, ON) poetry group. Basmajian was beloved by fellow poets, and recognized for his experimental as well as more traditional writing. He also edited and contributed to poetry anthologies. The Canadian Poetry Association (London, ON) honoured his memory by offering the annual Shaunt Basmajian Chapbook Award from 1997-2008.
Poetry (Chapbook)
8 Irrigations
Toronto: Curvd H / Z, 1983.
120 copies produced.
Poetry
Biased Analogies
Perth, Ont.: Anthos Books, 1988.
available soon
Poetry (Chapbook)
Boundaries Limits and Space: Concrete Poems
Toronto: Underwich Editions, 1980.
Poetry (Chapbook)
I Am/I’m
Los Angeles: Utopic Furnace Press, 1990.
Poetry (Chapbook)
Poets Who Don’t Dance
Toronto: Unfinished Monuments Press, 1985.
Poetry (Chapbook)
The Resurrection of the Third Happening
Toronto: Portage Press, 1976.
Poetry
Surplus Waste and Other Poems
Toronto: Unfinished Monument Press, 1982.
Anthology (Poetry)
bfp(h)aGe: An Anthology of Visual Poetry and Collage
Edited by Sha(u)nt Basmajian & brian david J(o(h)n)ston.
Toronto: Sober Minute Press, 1989.
Includes eleven visual work poems by Basmajian from 1968-1988.
Links
Shaunt Basmajian fonds at Simon Fraser University