The Essential Margaret Avison
selected by Robyn Sarah
The Essential Margaret Avison showcases the development of one of Canada’s most brilliant and original poets, twice winner of the Governor-General’s Award for Poetry. Margaret Avison’s vibrant life work is distilled here into a selection that is illuminating, generous and richly varied.
Contributors
Margaret Avison
One of Canada's most respected poets, Margaret Avison was born in Ontario in 1918. In career that began in the 1940's, she produced eight books of poems, the last published posthumously. Her published poetry up to 2002 was gathered in the three-volume collection, Always Now. Avison was the recipient of many awards, including the order of Canada, The Griffin Prize for poetry, and three honorary doctorates. She died in 2007. Robyn Sarah, editor of this volume as well as of The Essential George Johnston and the The Essential Don Coles, is the author of several poetry collections, most recently Pause for Breath (2009), and a book essays on poetry, Little Eurekas. She corresponded with Margaret Avison for the last three years of the poet's life.