“The Whistler,” by Virna Sheard

Sheard, Virna. “The Whistler.” Canadian Magazine of Politics, Science, Art and Literature 22.4 (February 1904): 381.

I was going through a bound volume of The Canadian Magazine, looking for authors’ photos, when I stumbled across this poem by Virna Sheard. The Canadian Magazine has numerous poems (and stories, and serialized novels) by our authors, of course, but this is a particularly beautiful page, so I thought I would share it with you all.

“Thirst,” by Anne Marriott

Marriott, Anne. “Thirst.” Victoria Poetry Chapbook: A Year Book of the Poetry Group of the Canadian Authors’ Association. Ed. Alan Crawley. Victoria, BC: Canadian Authors Association, 1936. 6.

Thirst

I would drink deep of this September,
Ruby-red draught, amber, purple-brown,
Hold in both hands the bright silver tankard,
Take a long drink before setting it down.

I would treasure the fire of it in my throat,
Let it run to my veins, a last warm leaping,
Hold on my tongue the clear tangy wine
Potent and sharp from its long keeping.

Pour me out more! Let it brim over!
Scented, sun-gold, mellow as old song,
I would drain the last drop, lingering, tenderly,
Taking a long time—as winter is long.

From The Canadian Birthday Book, edited by Susan Frances Harrison (“Seranus”): A poetic excerpt by Isabella V. Crawford

Crawford, Isabella V.  [Entry for August 16]. Canadian Birthday Book. Ed. Seranus [Susan Frances Harrison]. Toronto: Robinson, 1887.

The Canadian Birthday Book contains some original poetry, but a large number of the entries are excerpts from already published poems. This excerpt is from Crawford’s “Gisli: The Chieftain,” in Old Spookses’s Pass, Malcolm’s Katie, and Other Poems (1884).

We are not alone…

It is wonderful to play off other academics’ interests in Canadian literature. Deb Martens in London hosts “Canadian Writers Abroad,” which we have connected with in the past, and recently James Calhoun posted a lengthy and informative blog on Kate Colquhoun and her family on his website, “Field Punishment #1.”

Kate (or Kathryn) Colquhoun published The Battle of St. Julien and Other Poems (1928), the Ryerson Poetry Chapbook James talks about, as well as two plays—A Run For His Money (1937) and His Blonde Dilemma (1937)—and a final book of poetry, The Net Of Dreams, in 1942. She contributed to a number of periodicals, including The Crucible, a Canadian “little-magazine” that ran from 1932 to 1943. The following is from the Spring 1937 issue of The Crucible.

Colquhoun, Kathryn. “The Dawn Birds Are Calling.” The Crucible 4.3 (1937): 1.

“They Are Not Lost,” by Irene Chapman Benson

Benson, Irene Chapman. “They Are Not Lost.” Canadian Poetry Magazine 9.2 (1945): 18-19.

This past Wednesday (6 June 2014), CBC presented a fascinating report containing a series of interviews with World War I airmen (obviously recorded quite a while ago), to mark the 100th anniversary of the beginning of WWI. Archduke Ferdinand was shot on 28 June 1914; Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914: the significance of 6 June 1914 is that on that day, the first air flight out of the sight of land — Scotland to Norway — was completed. From there to dogfights over Ypres, the Somme, Passchendaele… only a number of months, but such a remarkable advance in aviation design and pilots’ capabilities.

Benson’s poem commemorates the “missing Airmen” of World War II. It seemed appropriate.

“Canadian Orchard,” by Pauline Havard

Havard, Pauline. “Canadian Orchard.” Profile: A Chapbook of Canadian Verse. 1946. Ed. Canadian Authors Association.  [Ottawa, ON]: Poetry Craft Group of the Ottawa Branch, Canadian Authors’ Association, 1946. 16.

Here’s another obscure poet whose biography remains a mystery. The only official document we have is a Canadian Passenger List from December of 1917. From it, we have determined that she was born in Canada, likely in 1914; she was living in Toronto in 1915; and she was travelling in 1917 with her mother (presumably), Dorothy Louise Havard. Dorothy was born in England and had immigrated to Canada in about 1909; she died in Victoria, BC, on 14 March 1968 (from her Death Certificate). Their destination in 1917 was not Toronto, but Fort William, Ontario.