I got an e-mail from Dave McGimpsey inviting me to come to the CBC Poetry Face-Off this Thursday.

He'll be competing with a number of Montreal poets in a grueling poetic battle-royal to determine who will continue onto the finals to become Canada's undisputed grand champion of poetry.

From what I hear, Dave promises to "cut taxes" and to maintain the belief that "all of life's problems are solved by the music of Kelly Clarkson." Hear hear, Dave!

The competition in Montreal is going to be fierce with poets like Susan Gillis and Jon Paul Fiorentino in the line-up.

So come out, brave the cold weather and cheer these valiant word warriors on.

CBC Poetry Face-Off

Thursday, February 16th at 5 p.m. Casa del Popolo, 4873 Saint Laurent

For the fifth consecutive year, CBC Radio One will celebrate Canada's poetic imagination with a twist: by giving it a competitive attitude. 14 selected cities across the country will host live-before-an-audience poetry combats, and five poets in each city will be commissioned to write and perform their work on a common theme.

The audience at each combat will choose their champion and the winning entry will move on to the national play-offs. The finalists will then be heard on CBC Radio's Sounds Like Canada in April 2006, the national listening audience will be able to vote for their favourite, and a Canadian champion will emerge.

Among the competing poets will be Susan Elmsley, Susan Gillis, David McGimpsey, Oana Avasilichioaei and Jon Paul Fiorentino.

For more info go to: CBC Poetry Face-Off