Peter Marcus was born in Toronto on July 31, 1945. He moved to Vancouver in 1966. For many years he worked in health care, retiring in 2002. He was active in the Hospital Employees’ Union and in leftist politics. In his retirement he remains active, particularly with the Communist Party of Canada. His poetry attempts to reflect his socialist leanings.
A Worker’s Friend
A Worker’s Friend
Marcus, Peter
Poetry is a reflection of the society in which we live and its past and its potential future. I endeavour to give my left political and ideological expression to that in my poetic musings, along with a few whimsical lines.
I regard poetry as a craft as well as an art and try to hone the words and phrases accordingly. My favourite technique is word play but I also utilize metaphor, alliteration, made-up words, or whatever I feel fits. Some of the material may be a little obscure at times, but my aim is to make them as accessible to readers as possible.
Paperback and eBook:
ISBN: 9781989467084. Paperback $ 16.95 CDN, $14.95 USD. Available via your local bookstore and Amazon.ca
ISBN: 9781989467176. $9.99 CDN, $7.99 USD. Available online on Amazon.ca (Kindle)
Distribution in the UK via Gazelle Book Services
Reviews:
For anyone involved in Vancouver’s left and working-class politics Peter Marcus will be a familiar face. Whether it’s at a labour council meeting, a rally or protest, or just on the corner selling People’s Voice newspaper, Peter is there along with an arsenal of puns, poems, and quick wit. That’s what makes the poetry of A Worker’s Friend so undeniably Peter. These are poems are reflections on the poor state of the world in which we live, and how to change it. Yet they are not idle compositions but fighting verses and calls to action, each interwoven clever wordplay and twists. Peter the Punning People’s Poet has done it again.
—Stephen von Sychowski
President, Vancouver and District Labour Council
In the heart of the Republic of East Vancouver, there is a man fomenting wordplay and revolution — we call him “Peter Pun,” but the name CSIS has written in his file is “Peter Marcus.” We in the neighbourhood are happy now to share him with you.
—Charles Demers, comedian and author of ‘Vancouver Special’
“Peter Marcus – a true workers’ poet – neatly blends politics and history with his unique narrative verse and a quirky yet poignant take on the world.”
—Bill Arnott, bestselling author of Gone Viking: A Travel Saga.
ISBN: 9781989467084
CDN/USD
