On March 4, McNally Robinson Saskatoon played host to a very special event. The Love of a Poet evening, third in a provincial series of events to honour of the launch of Gary Hyland’s Love of Mirrors: Poems New and Selected, featured readings by some of Saskatchewan’s most beloved poets and authors.

Gary Hyland is one of Moose Jaw's two lifetime Poets Laureate, and was named Citizen of the Year there in both 1998 and 2006. In 2007 he was named one of the 100 most influential graduates from the University of Saskatchewan in the last 100 years. He is an award-winning teacher, writer, activist, consultant and editor, and one of the founders of Coteau Books. He lives in Moose Jaw with his wife Sharon.

For the last few years Gary has been battling Lou Gherig’s disease. While speaking is difficult, he is still able to communicate on a white board he carries with him, and stayed to visit with old friends and fans well into the evening. He continues to write, and credits Sharon with helping him bring Love of Mirrors to press.

Children’s author and Coteau Books board member Dave Glaze hosted the Saskatoon celebration at McNally Robinson. Moose Jaw’s other lifetime Poet Laureate, Robert Currie, read Gary’s welcome to the audience, then took a moment to speak about Gary from his own perspective, and to read one of his favourite poems from the collection. Readings from Love of Mirrors continued with David Carpenter, Glen Sorestad, Bill Robertson and Katherine Lawrence. It was incredible to have Gary make the trip for the event, and to be able to honour him and his terrific contributions to poetry and publishing in our province.