The Penguin Book of Canadian Verse

W.J. Keith is a retired professor of English at the University of Toronto and author A Sense of Style: Studies in the Art of Fiction in English-Speaking Canada.

Ralph Gustafson’s initial Penguin/Pelican anthology of Canadian poetry was published as early as 1942; the first edition of the book under the present title appeared in 1958. It so happens that I brought a copy with me when I immigrated to Canada in that year, and I remember finding it intriguing but a little dull. Several revised editions later, the book is decidedly larger and (alas) much more expensive, but, since the anthology has grown concurrently with the Canadian poetic tradition, it is now by no means dull. It has evolved, in fact, into a new book. Not only has it expanded from 255 to 362 (larger) pages, but the number of poets represented has increased from 65 to 91.And since 12 of the original names have been quietly dropped, this means that no fewer than 38 new poets have been added in the last quarter of a century.

More important, the quality has improved. Even within the poets who survive from 1958, changes in selection have often been made — and almost invariably for the better. (Dorothy Livesay is perhaps the most dramatic instance, since all the earlier selections have been dropped in favour of newer work.) Gustafson is now a highly experienced anthologist, and he has more worthwhile poetry to choose from than ever before. Even those relatively familiar with a poet’s work are likely to find verse here that had either been overlooked or forgotten, and that is well worth reconsidering. No single poet can possibly be given enough space (the average comes to just over three poems per poet), but Gustafson has provided a judicious and tempting sample. What is most likely to attract the outsider is the sheer variety of poetic forms, attitudes, and (above all) voices represented here.

One reservation must, however, be firmly registered. There is no writing in French here, and I am amazed that Gustafson, a Quebec resident, hasn’t noticed the incongruity of the title. This is in fact The Penguin Book of Canadian Verse in English, and it should be so named.