George, the original ‘Ninja, launched his book Glimpse: Selected Aphorisms at the Dora Keogh Pub in Toronto last night. The evening was great. My photos are horrible (Annie Leibovitz can breathe easy), but I hope they do something to evoke the spirit of the event.

Glimpse is George’s 5th volume of poetry. It’s already a bestseller and it makes people giggle.

Salty Ink recently described the idea behind the book:

An aphorism is a poetry-philosophy fusion, and something more accessible than either. It is the core thought upon which language is laid to construct a poem … minus the poem.

George read from Glimpse. Many of the aphorisms are confusing for a moment. You hear the words, knit your brows and, after a pause, think ahhh. From the reader’s perspective, it’s a satisfying process because they make you work and reward you for doing so. Hearing them in George’s voice made it all the more fun.

Here’s the man in action.

ECW editor Michael Holmes introduces George while wearing Silly Bandz on his wrist (if you happen to live with anyone under the age of 12, you will understand the significance of this).

Literary power couple Sarah Dunn, publicist for ECW Press and Steven W. Beattie of the Q&Q and That Shakespearean Rag. They are not so blurry in real life.

The poets came bearing somosas, David Day, Caroline Szpak, Robert Priest and Albert Moritz.

The National Post books people, Ron Nurwisah and Mark Medley, show us how they cope.

And a final photo contributed by Sarah Dunn that is so much better. Do I need a new camera, or is this an example of user error?

Mark Luk from Anansi, Ron Nurwisah, Claire Cameron (that’s me) Mark Medley and George.

Congratulations George!