I just received word from a friend at work that Montreal poet Robert Allen passed away last Friday. Jon Paul Fiorentino was a friend and colleague of Robert Allen. Check out his blog for more information. Jon writes:

Writer, teacher, editor, mentor, and dear friend, Robert Allen, died on Friday, November 3 2006. He was the author of nine collections of poetry, three novels, and one collection of short fiction. His most recent book was the brilliant long poem, The Encantadas, published just this spring by Conundrum. Without a doubt, The Encantadas is one of the best Canadian poetry books ever published.

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of reading his Encantadas— it’s a beautiful book. I agree with Jon’s claim; it’s brilliant. Condolences from Ahadada Books go out to his friends, family and colleagues.