Cultures at Risk Presenter Biographies

Peter Christensen

Writer, Poet, Ranger

Peter’s writing is accessible, thought provoking, passionate and open. His work has been characterized as “documentary poetry” and he often draws on his experiences and adventures in Western Canada’s wilderness.

“Christensen’s work partakes of Nature’s bold innocence. Knows truth, vows to tell it well and ably. And does.” — P. Vickery

Christensen’s poetry has received international critical acclaim. George Woodcock, writing in BC BookWorld, said Christensen’s poems “are serene exercises in imagism. Extraordinary power of evoking the western mountains.”

“ I explore our emotions, our responses to change and the effects on individuals, communities and the land,” said Christensen. Christensen’s presentation of stories and poetry ranges from the hilarious to the sublime to the serious. They are always thought provoking and entertaining.

Peter began his writing career at the University of Lethbridge where he graduated with a degree in creative writing in 1975. Shortly after graduation he published his first book with Thistledown Press. He has published four books with Thistledown, Hail Storm, Rig Talk, To Die Ascending and Winter Range (2001). Hawk Press of New Mexico has included his work in two collections, Sierra Sacrament and Stalking Place: Poems Across Borders, as well as in a recently published chapbook of new poems, titled I Came Upon A Bear.

Peter’s work has been published in many anthologies, writing journals and magazines. He has given readings of his work across Canada, the American west and Texas. He co-edited with Lorne Daniel the popular poetry anthology series, Ride Off Any Horizon 1 and 2 (NeWest Press, Edmonton). The Douglas College Review Event magazine published his essay “Sky Pilot,” which was runner-up in Event’s creative non-fiction contest.

Pamela Banting’s new anthology Fresh Tracks, Writing the Western Landscape featured Christensen’s essay, Canyon Shadows: “Stones” Exploring the Architecture of the Spirit of Place, Being and Time. This essay reviews the environmental performance piece Canyon Shadows: Stones Animals produced by composer Robert Rosen with Kokorro Dance. Peter was commissioned to write the libretto for this performance piece which premiered at The Banff Centre and was subsequently performed at the Festival of the Sound at Perry Sound on Georgian Bay, Ontario and at Signal Hill in St. John’s, Newfoundland, during the International Sound Festival.

Peter was one of a few Canadians selected for John Garmon’s Ninety Poets for Nineties (Seminole Press, Florida, 1998). Altitude Press recently published Peter’s creative non-fiction book Wilderness Tales in 2003. His stories have become a best-seller.

Poet, writer, singer-songwriter Christensen works seasonally as park ranger in British Columbia’s wild north-west.

Winter Range

The Western Canadian landscape informs this accessible and passionate collection of lyric poetry with an adventurous spirit as Peter Christensen engages with the experiences and adventures — physical, emotional and intellectual — that nature and language provide. Stylistically innovative, imbued with extraordinary imagery, and thematically challenging, this new collection from one of Canada’s premiere poets demonstrates how vital the poet’s craft still is in our time.