Canadian Poets Series #10 : Mark Goldstein

Mark Goldstein (he/him/his) is a writer, editor, translator and graphic artist who lives in Tkaronto. A 2026 writer-in-residence at the Al Purdy A-frame, Canada’s pre-eminent peer-reviewed writers’ residency, his work includes Paul Celan: Thricelandium (Beautiful Outlaw, 2024), the novel, Her Process and the essay collection, Part Thief, Part Carpenter (Beautiful Outlaw, 2021), Form of Forms (Book*hug, 2012), Tracelanguage (Book*hug, 2010), After Rilke (Book*hug, 2008). He and Jaclyn Piudik co-edited Anyword: A Festschrift for Phil Hall (Beautiful Outlaw, 2024), and Paul Celan/100, an online anthology and reading event in 2020, with contributions from Ian Fairley, Susan H. Gillespie, Pierre Joris, Robert Kelly, Erín Moure, and others.

Goldstein’s poetry and criticism have appeared in trade and limited editions as well as periodicals and journals such as The Capilano Review, periodicities: a journal of poetry and poetics, and Jacket2. An array of videos of Goldstein, including readings and interviews, as well as a wealth of links to poems and essays online, live at his website, here. In 2002, he founded Beautiful Outlaw, a boutique press dedicated to publishing innovative voices including Oana Avasilichioaei, George Bowering, Robert Creeley, and many others. To sustain his artistic life, he taught himself graphic design and apprenticed under Coach House alumnus Nick Drumbolis and the late master typographer Glenn Goluska. He has worked professionally as a book designer since 2002, earning nine national awards.

He spent the ’90s recording and touring North America as a professional musician in the indie rock band By Divine Right whose members included Leslie Feist and Broken Social Scene’s Brendan Canning. In the run up to the millennium, he transitioned to the literary arts and left the band in 2000. His books are available online and in libraries throughout North America.