A bilingual collection of renga poetry by two of Canada's most celebrated poets in English and in French, each writing in his respective language in response to the other. A project of discourse itself, shared in dialogue between two poets, as they explore Novalis’ definition of poetry as “the truly absolute real.” The poetic act is world-changing, the agglomeration of atoms as they fall through space – a sort of “elective affinity”, or state of grace – to constitute Being. If Lao Tzu reminds us that the Dao that can be named is not the eternal Dao, this renga, suffused with elements of the natural world, also recognizes that, in the words of Angelus Silesius, ‘‘the unnameable, which we usually call God, is expressed and revealed through the Word.’’ Léveillé and Bloggett share an unprecedented dialogue that possesses both paradox and complete clarity of word in Canada's two official languages.

Born in Winnipeg, J.R. Léveillé is the author of over thirty books of poetry, fiction and essays published in Canada and abroad. He is the most widely reviewed contemporary Western Canadian Francophone author. An international symposium on his work was held in 2005. Leveille has won numerous literary awards, including the Manitoba Lifetime Writing and Publishing Award. Le soleil du lac qui se couche/The Setting Lake Sun has amassed numerous accolades, including winner of the Prix Champlain, winner of Le Prix Litteraire Rue-Deschambault, Very Honourable Mention--John Glassco Translation Award, and shortlisted for the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award. It was chosen by readers as the winner in Manitoba's On the Same Page competition in 2011.

J.R. Léveillé's profile page

Poet and scholar, E.D. Blodgett has published seventeen books of poetry two of which were awarded the Governor General’s Award. He is an Emeritus Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Alberta. His research has varied from mediaeval European romance to Canadian Comparative Literature and his publications include Five-Part Invention: A History of Literary History in Canada (2003) and Elegy (2005).

Harold Coward is Professor Emeritus and the past director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society at the University of Victoria where he continues to be involved as a research fellow.

E.D. Blodgett's profile page

With poems that phase between mythologies, E.D. Blodgett and J.R. Lévéille lend their voices to a chorus of Orpheus, Bede, and Ariel. Ex Nihilo reflects a friendship between poets that ends at the moment of illumination, when figures of speech are taken literally as a dictionary. - Nathan Dueck, author of A Very Special Episode