Dark Antonyms and Paradise: The Poetry of Rienzi Crusz

The poetry and prose of Rienzi Crusz are about many things-exile, identity, family, religion, politics, and racism and finally death-and this work is an attempt to demonstrate that the various facets are a result of a holistic vision that transcends narrow labels. Crusz is best known in Canada as a diasporic writer, committed to exploring the complexities of living between and among two worlds. This study goes beyond binary formulations to argue that while such markers are necessary, a full understanding of the poet's achievement requires that personal history, the political context of migration, poetic influences, and readership in Canada be taken into account. A carefully researched and definitive study, Dark Antonyms and Paradise offers an insightful reading of the work of an important modern poet.