Lonesome Monsters- the poetry of Bud Osborn

Steve Schwabl, Graham Ord and from North Vancouver, Paul Blaney, perform the poetry with music of Vancouver activist the late Bud Osborn. Lonesome Monsters was the original group with Bud, Graham on saxes and Paul on Bass.
Bud Osborn was a prominent Canadian poet and activist known for his work in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. His life and career were deeply intertwined with issues of drug addiction, poverty, and homelessness.
Osborn was a strong advocate for harm reduction strategies, including the establishment of legal supervised injection sites. He believed in addressing drug addiction through compassionate and practical measures rather than punitive approaches.
His poetry often reflected the struggles of those living in poverty and the challenges faced by drug users. He published several collections.
He was a founding member of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) and played a significant role in various initiatives aimed at improving the lives of marginalized individuals in his community.
Osborn served on the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board, where he continued to push for policies that supported drug users and addressed public health concerns.
Bud Osborn’s legacy as a poet and activist continues to inspire discussions around drug policy and social justice in Canada.