The Confederation Poets: The Founding of a Canadian Poetry, 1880 to the First World War (79)

by James Deahl

The Confederation The Founding of a Canadian Poetry, 1880 to the First World War is a study of poets born between 1850 and 1866, focusing on the work they produced up until the end of World War I. Through this investigation, the climate of opinion that animated Canadian society following Confederation is brought to light. Poets covered range from the famous (Lampman, Roberts, Crawford, Carman) to the less well-known, but still important (Cameron, Herbin, Coleman, Wetherald). 55 Confederation poems, many hard to find today, are quoted in full.

100 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2022

Reviews

[Lucy Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Confederation Poets by James Deahl is an anthology of Canadian poetry that was written during the period 1880 – 1914. In establishing both the relevance and unique aspects of this body of work, Deahl’s Introduction outlines the importance of Red Toryism to the development of a distinctly Canadian identity, one that was both part of the British Empire, dissimilar to American culture, and a rejection of the Blue Tories in England. This Canadian cultural moment gave rise to an ideology which provided the impetus for a distinctively Canadian nation state and approach to literature. The work Deahl has carefully selected for this collection provides a poetic footprint for a particular time and place in our country’s history. Filled with rich imagery describing landscape and the lives and dreams of those who live here, The Confederation Poets is a wonderful addition to the ongoing dialogue regarding poetry in this country. Recommended.

[Bob Boulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most surprising book! Not because it is well-written -- James Deahl (who btw I know) is a skilled and veteran writer -- though it is most certainly well-written. But because it is an unlikely candidate to be actually interesting. Beginning with James' introduction which provides not only a command of the literary and historical facts, but is told in a compelling and engaging manner. And then, the chapters centred on the individual poets are like listening to an excellent storyteller recounting fascinating facts about important people he has encountered. I never would have thought I would be in the position of being impatient to get back to reading a book on The Confederation Poets. But I was. Enjoy the experience.