What do you serve after White Strawberries? The answer, according to writer Robert Acorn is Black Raspberries. Acorn’s third book, Black Raspberries will be launched at the Confederation Centre Library on Sunday, November 22^nd from 2-4 pm .

Acorn’s first collection of poetry White Strawberries was released in 2000. His first book of prose was entitled Little Acorns and Milton. Published in 2005, it offered stories of growing up in Charlottetown and of his brother—“the People’s Poet” and Canlit icon. Now, Acorn, an octogenarian who still enjoys an annual Island tip-to-tip bicycle jaunt, has published another collection of over a hundred poems, a book that has come to fruition after several years of work.

“The poems are folk art treasures,” says Paul Vreeland, who has assisted Acorn with the preparation of the book. “He’s a Maud Lewis in print. Robert’s work is unique, the poetry teasing and witty. Readers will appreciate the fact that they don’t have to struggle to appreciate the poems; they are accessible. Yet there is always something more to be gleaned from a second and a third reading.” The book is divided into sections, the titles of which give a sense of the flavour of Black Raspberries: Simple Confessions & Other Honesties, Riddles and Island Koans, More than Politics, Joke’s on Me, Intimations of the Muse, Answers, maybe, and Dreams & Disappointments. Also included are three short prose pieces.

Acorn is one of the founding members of TWiG (The Writers in Group) which has met regularly for the past 14 years. All of his books have been published under TWiG imprimatur.

Acorn will be reading from his latest collection, and signed copies will be available for sale.