Ode to a Red Country Rooster

“The past is not a vanished destination, but a homeland to which we must eventually return.”

What do we do with the pieces left behind by work, loss, and the relentless passage of time?

In his debut collection, J.D. Addams delivers a beautifully interconnected journey through the inner landscapes of grief, memory, and human relationships.

Moving from the measured quiet of small-town living to the day-to-day realities of contemporary Montreal, these poems treat the city as a living, breathing entity.

Whether exploring the perpetual construction chaos of Rue Barré or the raw emotion of pieces like Amour Propre, this strikingly nostalgic book balances theatrical wit with profound vulnerability, inviting readers to discover resilience hidden within ordinary communal memory.


J.D. Addams is a Montreal-based poet and playwright from NDG. Creating under the moniker, “The Rideshare Poet,” his writing explores grief, loss, and nostalgia balanced by the resilience of nature.
He is currently working on his second collection and a satirical play. When not writing, he cycles and reads throughout the city's parks.