WILMA SEVILLE

God`s Gift

God's gift is life eternal
for those who follow Him
life may be long or short
with riches and with wealth.

Pain and sorrow comes to all
in this imperfect world
we need not walk alone
God is with us all the way.

We all have our ups and downs
God sends angels disguised as friends
who listen, care and understand
they laugh and cry with us.

Friends and family love us dearly
as they hold us up in prayer
to ask God's blessing on those they love
close at hand or far away.

May our days be filled with gladness
knowing that we're in God's hands
we trust in Him for all our needs
thank Him for his loving care.

Our days are few upon this earth
each day a gift from God
let us strive to make things better
for those who live upon this earth.

Copyright(c)WilmaSeville- December 7, 2011

An interview

This is a follow up by an interview with James Dheal.

Poetry Is Dead is working with Geist magazine on the Jackpine Sonnet Contest. Milton Acorn, who coined the Jackpine Sonnet, has left behind him a legacy in form. Poetry Is Dead met up with Acorn’s longtime friend and fellow poet James Deahl to talk more about his work and what he left behind.

Poetry Is Dead: Where did you and Milton Acorn become acquainted, and how did each of you affect each other's poetry?

James Deahl: I met Milton in Toronto on November 25, 1972 at the “Revive the Spirit of ‘37” festival. A photograph of Milton Acorn and Cedric Smith performing at this festival is on the cover of The Island Means Minago. We were friends until Milton’s death in Charlottetown on August 20, 1986. From Milton I learned what it means to be a poet dedicated to the Muse or, as he would say, the Goddess. He illustrated in his life and work what is means to live a life in poetry.

I think he learned from me that a poet can have a life outside poetry.

PID: Can you recall how the jackpine sonnet came about?

JD: While Milton and I were friends for almost fourteen years, there was a period when we saw little of each other. This was because he was having psychological problems and I was coming to terms with the breakdown of my first marriage. At this time he developed his jackpine sonnet. I do know, however, that Milton was inspired by the irregular sonnets of Robert Lowell. Lowell had first published Notebook (later republished in two volumes as History and For Lizzie and Harriet) in 1970, which was followed by The Dolphin. These publications introduced the Lowellian sonnet to the world. Milton was quite impressed by this approach. Lowell described his new sonnet development as: “unrhymed, loose blank verse sonnets, a roomier stanza . . . It can say almost anything conversation or correspondence can.” Milton would agree. The difference is that Lowell varied the stresses in his line. Milton also varied the stresses in his line as well as the number of lines in his sonnet.

PID: From yours and Milton Acorn's past, there shows a lot of success in starting awards, organizations and print-based mediums. What was it like for Canadian (or in your case, American/Canadian) poets in the 70's to 80's?

JD: It was a richer, more exciting time during the 1970s and 1980s. When I moved to Canada in 1970, the giants of Canadian poetry — Kenneth Leslie (a great sonnet writer), Frank Scott, A.J.M. Smith, Ron Everson, Earle Birney, A.M. Klein, Dorothy Livesay, Irving Layton, Louis Dudek, Al Purdy, etc. — were still alive. I heard readings by most of them, and got to know poets like Birney, Livesay, Layton, and Purdy. And major trade publishers were issuing books by emerging poets. Doubleday, Macmillan, McClelland & Stewart, Oxford University Press, and Stoddart/General Publishing were all actively publishing Canadian poets. Now all are out of the poetry business entirely or only publishing authors they have already published. Today, there is no opportunity for a poet under the age of fifty to have a book with a major trade publisher.

Sales of poetry books both to libraries and to the public have fallen to very low levels. This is because the literary publishers cannot market nationally. As a direct result of this, poetry is much more regional these days. Aside from Ray Souster, Margaret Atwood, Pat Lane, and Joe Rosenblatt, there are no national poets.

Of course, I do not wish to disparage the literary press. Milton co-founded Steel Rail Educational Publishing while I co-founded Mekler & Deahl, Publishers. But these did not replace Stoddart/General, Doubleday, or Macmillan.

PID: The jackpine sonnet, turns form on it's head. Was this a playful action, or was this a comment on form poetry?

JD: Milton had always written sonnets, but they were formal, rhymed poems. And he continued to write formal sonnets until his death. Starting in the mid-1970s he also wrote Jackpine Sonnets. In this development, Milton wanted the sort of freedom Lowell spoke of.

In Milton’s view, as well as in mine, the Lowellian sonnet allowed Robert Lowell to address topics in a direct and, to a degree, non-poetic manner. Both Lowell’s sonnet and Acorn’s sonnet speak to the public in a way not common in their other poetry. If you consider Robert Lowell’s Poems (Faber and Faber, 1974) you will see a great change in the poetics when Notebook is published. The same is true of Milton’s work. After Jackpine Sonnets (Steel Rail, 1977), there is a very noticeable change.

This begs the question: Is this a change for the better or not? But that must be left to each individual reader. I would like to note that several Canadian poets, Jeff Seffinga, Mark Gordon, and myself among them, do write Jackpine Sonnets.

PID: From what I can gather (and from what poems I have read of yours and Milton Acorn's), there is a lot of playfulness in subject and theme. Was this a common occurrence in yours and Milton Acorn's poetry?

JD: While Milton is better known for his nature poetry, his political poetry, and his love poetry, he wrote many wonderful humorous poems. These are, in my opinion, undervalued. Milton and I shared an apartment for a couple of years prior to his return to Prince Edward Island. I can tell you he had a great sense of humour. It shows in his poetry.

PID: What are your thoughts on the Canadian landscape of poetry today? Has it changed? For the better or for the worse?

JD: As I have indicated, Canadian poetry is in poor shape these days. During the last half of the 20th century there were more major poets writing and reading all across Canada. There was more trade publishing. And, I would argue, there were more first rate magazines open to poetry, and not just literary magazines. The CBC had a program called “Anthology” — a lot was happening in the mass media. Not so long ago there was a lively national literature here. This was, of course, in addition to lively regional literatures. Very soon Canada will have no national literature because our national writers are seventy years old or older.

While Canada does have some very good poets, today we have no Milton Acorn, Dorothy Livesay, Al Purdy, or Irving Layton. I believe that we enjoyed a Golden Age of poetry from about 1960 to the turn of the century. The death of Purdy brought the curtain down on this era.

The fact is that regional poets and regional literary presses — as interesting and vital as they may be — cannot replace national poets and national publishers.

Like most Canadian writers, I hope for the best and await developments.

Review of book by Prof. Ron Dart

IN A SPRINGTIME INSTANT: The Selected Poems of Milton Acorn 1950 - 1986Edited by James Deahl

Mosaic Press, Oakville, Ontario, 2012

248 pages   $24.95

ISBN 0-88962-921-9

Milton Acorn (1923-1986) was the most dynamic, controversial and prophetic Canadian Anglican political poet in the latter half of the 20th century. Acorn was a poet who spoke to the people of Canada and did so in an accessible and not to be forgotten manner. The fact that Acorn was awarded, by significant Canadian poets, the Peoples Poet Award in 1970 and the GG Award in 1975 speaks its own convincing language. Who was this poet who offended the trendy left by taking a definite stand on the Pro-Life issue yet offended the political right by opposing capitalism, militarism and American imperialism? Who was this unique Canadian nationalist who flirted with the ideological left but when day was a done was a conscious Red Tory? Who was this High Church Anglican that was convinced that the purpose and end of the grandeur of the liturgy was justice and peace in the streets and for the working class people? Who was this herald and pioneer in the 1950s of the ecological movement?

The time has finally come, and it is quite appropriate that the time has come, for a return and retrieval of the poetry of Milton Acorn. The publication of Milton Acorn: In A Springtime Instant: Selected Poems has appeared on the literary and publishing scene at just the right time, and the editorial work and Introduction by James Deahl (who lived with Acorn for a few years and published some of his poetry), makes this updated approach to Acorn a real keeper.   

The incisive ‘Introduction’ by Deahl is a fine primer to the selected poems. The Introduction lights but does not land long on ‘The Great Generation’, ‘Poetry of the Natural World’, ‘The Art of Love’, ‘Ideology’, ‘What I Know of God’, ‘Fellow Writers’ and an informed ‘Conclusion’. I might add that Terry Barker wrote a timely ‘Foreword’ that briefly explained the origin of In A Springtime Instant.

Deahl has, wisely so, in his editorial role, guided the poetic ship of the book across the full waters of Acorn’s life and writing. Poems are judiciously chosen from Acorn’s earliest book of poetry, In Love and Anger (1956) to Acorn’s midstride classic I’ve Tasted My Blood: Poems 1956 to 1968 (1969), the later books of poetry that were published in his lifetime and the books of poetry that were published after his death. The collection, rightly so, is arranged chronologically and separates wheat from chaff, gold from dross in Acorn’s poetic journey. Deahl has dug deep into the motherlode of Acorn’s poetic output, and has brought back the finest of Acorn from his diligent spade work.

Milton Acorn: In A Springtime Instant is Acorn the poetic and probing genius at his challenging best. The Northern Oak of Acorn stands tall and stately, high above the lesser trees of much Canadian poetry, and the meticulous work of James Deahl, Terry Barker and Howard Aster (Mosaic Press) amply illustrates why this is the irrefutable case. We await, with much anticipation, the publication in 2013, from Mosaic Press, the book of critical essays on Acorn.          

Prof. Ron Dart

April 27, 2012

IN A SPRINGTIME INSTANT: The Selected Poems of Milton Acorn

 IN A SPRINGTIME INSTANT: The Selected Poems of Milton Acorn 1950 - 1986

 Edited by James Deahl

 Mosaic Press, Oakville, Ontario, 2012

 248 pages   $24.95

 ISBN 0-88962-921-9

 Genesis

 In the book's forward Terry Barker details the genesis of this selected of

 Canada's People's Poet, Milton Acorn. A chance meeting between Barker and

 poet Joe Rosenblatt at a Toronto Book Fair several years ago had the two of

 them reminiscing about Milt, who died a quarter century ago. Both of them

 felt that Acorn's legacy was fading - in the academy, and among the always

 fickle and ephemeral Canadian audience for poetry.

 And so the two of them acted very unCanadian - they DID something, and the

 result is this lovingly and painstakingly researched 250 page tribute. The

 only logical choice for an editor was Acorn's longtime friend and roommate,

 James Deahl. As I believe there is no better person in Canada to encapsulate

 the life and creative arc of Canada's many fine poets, this was a perfect

 match of editor and subject.

 Howard Aster and his Mosaic Press were approached with this proposal, and

 fortunately he was most willing.

 Perhaps editor and poetry selector James Deahl knows Acorn's poetry better

 even than the poet himself did. Deahl's friendship with Milt helped sustain

 the vulnerable poet for several decades, and on Milt's passing in 1986 Deahl

 became the torch bearer for Milt's work and legacy. Deahl has continued to

 advocate for Acorn's work, and to produce a substantial number of posthumous

 collections of Milt's poetry and the tribute anthology THE NORTHERN RED OAK.

 Resurrecting Acorn's Literary Merit

 The poems were chosen by editor Deahl solely based on his perception of

 their literary merit. Barker and Deahl echo each other's belief that Acorn's

 poetry was and is often under appreciated or even dismissed because of the

 poet's controversial political and personal life. They hope that after 25

 years people are prepared to objectively and critically re-evaluate the

 entire body of Acorn's work, with hopes that the Canadian literary

 establishment will take another look and add Milt's poetry to the textbooks

 and curricula of our  institutions. Deahl's thoughtful and challenging 22

 page introduction should ably serve as the catalyst for this crucial

 literary rebalancing and the long awaited and deserved 'resurrection' of

 Milton Acorn.

 Poetry As Catalyst Against Reactionary Harperite Miasma

 This is also a crucial time for Canadians politically. The spreading

 reactionary miasma of the Harperite regime must be countered on the cultural

 front. Our ineffectual politicians appear neutered by the challenge, and

 perhaps only the "love and anger", the visceral physicality of the poetry of

 a People's Poet of Acorn's caliber, can act as a catalyst to stir the

 Canadian populace to outrage at Stephen Harper's highjacking of our nation.

 The Poems

 Deahl has done something a bit unusual with organizing the poems - he has

 presented them in the order in which they appeared in Acorn's 17

 collections. Thus early and late poems don't appear in the chronological

 order in which they were written. Deahl justifies this with his declaration

 that Acorn wrote excellent poems throughout his entire career, and as a

 reader I found this mix of the old and the new an intriguing and enjoyable

 challenge.

 After a week reading the book backwards and forwards, or just diving in

 where the pages fell open late at night, I was amazed at how many of Acorn's

 poems I recognized and had taken to heart so many decades ago. And I was

 equally surprised at how many poems I was reading for the first time, and

 how these immediately adhered to my heart and brain like so many welcome

 limpets.

 Congratulations to James Deahl for his perseverance as the number one

 scholar of Canada's most important and vibrant poet. And thanks to Howard

 Aster and the staff at Mosaic Press for this wonderfully produced

 collection. Special acknowledgments must go to Terry Barker, the 'midwife'

 of this project, and to Joe Rosenblatt, who also helped will this collection

 into being.

 Reflective review by Chris Faiers

April 25, 2012



Tammy and student



ABC’s & Rice

Tammy Durand is an extraordinary young woman who is making a difference in this world.  She is originally from Sudbury, Ontario and majored in Psychology while in college.  For many years, she worked in Canada and the United States for various companies who were in the Transport and Logistics business.

One of her dreams was to travel to Thailand which she achieved. However, she took a side trip to Cambodia on her first trip to that area and saw a flyer advertising an organization, which helps the underprivileged.   She extended her stay to research the situation there and began to make plans for a return visit.

In 2010, she founded ABC’s & Rice.  The vision of this organization is to facilitate the empowerment of the poor to break the cycle of poverty.  She and her life partner, Matt Foote, an Australian, work in the small village of Poom Sala and Kroligne , which is 3 km from the town center of Siem Reap.  Due to the extreme poverty of the people, many families are unable to pay to educate their children. In an attempt to get at least some of their children educated, one or more of the remaining children have to work. 

She was warmly welcomed by the people and they have a high respect for the work of ABC’s & Rice as well as for herself and Matt.

The programme employs 6 Khmer teachers and 4 center support workers,.  There are over 180 students and their families, who rely heavily on help from generous volunteers and donors.

The students range from 4 years of age to 16.The curriculum includes Khmer reading, writing, cultural and morals programme, English studies, art and sports.  They also provide personal support and development to the children and their families, including medical and dental care for the children.  Support for their work comes mainly from private donors and from fundraising done in Canada

Her motivation is the belief that every child deserves the access and right to education, healthy sustenance, and a safe environment.

For those who are not very familiar with Cambodia, the area where she and Matt work is a comparatively small tropical city, which only gets “cool” anywhere between December and February.  The wet season is sticky, when it is not raining and there is always flooding.  Last year the city was fully flooded for six weeks.

As a point of interest, one can find spitting cobras, vipers, scorpions and some spiders and in fact, both Tammy and Matt have had more than their share of bites by Brown Recluse spiders whose venom has the potential to kill. 

Tammy works two part time jobs to support herself as well as the project and an average work day for her is 17-18 hours.  She tries to take some time off on a Sunday, however, her laptop is always with her.

“The future of ABC’s & Rice?

 “In a nutshell, I plan on developing it into a self-sustaining model that can be used virtually anywhere, run for and by native Cambodians.” says Tammy in a recent interview.

For more information on how you can help this worthy cause, please visit http://www.abc-rice.org/

\Some of the students

Matt Foote

Albert Magsuci

    

In One Silhouette Night


Night
I am walking alone
the roads are deserted
shops are all closed
just a few cars passing
the whine of tires deafens my ears.

These once busy streets look ghostly
as if time had stopped
only the amber light atop a lamppost
outshines the silhouette of the wintry night.

A long night of walking
I feel so alone, the moon obscured
silence surrounds me
only my shadow dances to my gait
in the dead of night.

Albert Magsuci


Editors Note:  Due to the political problems in the Arabic speaking world, people do not go out at night as much as they did before.  The noise from the few cars on the road is very pronounced and they seemed, to the poet, to be in a dreadful hurry.  In Bahrain, Albert has said that things have gone back to normal and at this time, there are more people on the streets.