The Mad, Queer Time and Space of bill bissett’s lunarian Narratives

Abstract

Since 2001, Canadian poet, artist, and performer bill bissett has, in public statements and interviews, and in his poetry and art, explored the faraway planet of lunaria as his autobiographical origin. In 2001, bissett published the ambitious work lunaria, a book-length poem in which a speaker recounts their origin on lunaria and desire to return, as well as providing an account of the lunarian ways of life, geographies, relationships, and lifecycles. This article by Drew McEwan explores the mythical planet both in lunaria and in the lunarian autobiographical paratexts as critical developments in bissett’s work and ideas. Further, it argues that these texts articulate a mad and queer temporality that provides a critical perspective on normative “erthling wayze.” bissett’s poetic and extra-poetic lunarian texts elaborate a utopian state of temporality, community, and nurturance borne in relation to the failures of those deemed too crazy, too queer, here on Earth.