Author Information

Residence: Morinville, Alberta

Christopher Raine was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1968. He attended the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta, where he studied English and Fine Art. He later studied Architectural Technology at Digital School in Edmonton, Alberta. Raine has also worked as a freelance artist.

In addition to being the author of ‘Vacant Morality: Poems of the Past,’ Christopher Raine has run creative writing workshops at The Morinville Community Library.

Website

Where the Grasses Wept

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*Also available at Morinville Library

Quietly nostalgic while avoiding sentimentality, ""Where the Grasses Wept"" paints watercolour portraits of an everyman life, filtered through the sober wisdom of reality and perspective, whether it is through the sequential imagery of "Back East", the idle-ethereal love of "Purple Ocean," or the escape of "Dashboard Vinyl."

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Utilizing either lyrical or free-verse poetry, Raine succeeds in maintaining a sense of rhythm and cadence harkening to his prior work in ""Vacant Morality."" The themes of Where the Grasses Wept are thoughtful and relatable, firmly grounded in reality while simultaneously creating a dream-like quality. Raine's work successfully grasps a sense of longing while avoiding the trap of wishful thinking and romanticism.

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Vacant Morality

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*Also available at Morinville Library

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Desperate and passionate, the poetry of Vacant Morality rolls off of the tongue like music. There are moments of simple purity filtered through the lens of experience, regret, and wisdom. Poet Christopher Raine believes that the best way to explain beauty is through the contrast of ugliness. It is only through suffering that one can truly feel the unique rarity of sublime love and hope.

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