Anne Compton Wins Governor General Award in Poetry
Anne Compton, an alumna of Prince of Wales College (PWC'69), has been awarded the Governor General's Literary Award in Poetry for 2005. The winners were announced in Montreal on November 16. Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michand#228;elle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will present the awards at Rideau Hall on Wednesday, November 23.
In describing Anne Compton's award-winning book, Processional, one jurist noted, "Anne Compton's voice is unique - at once passionate and refined. Her poems slip into one's consciousness, a felt presence in a quiet room. Processional is a deft and remarkable achievement."
Compton was born and raised in the farming community of Bangor, PEI. She launched Processional at UPEI on May 20 during a double celebration of literary accomplishment that included the launch of UPEI Professor Emeritus John Smith's book, Maps of Invariance. Professor Smith was Compton's English professor at Prince of Wales. "He was an absolutely wonderful teacher who introduced me to contemporary 21st century poetry. Because of John, I shifted my plan of study from history to literature at university," she said in an interview at the time of the launch.
Dr. Compton is now an assistant professor in UNB Saint John's Department of Humanities and Languages. Her books include A.J.M.Smith: Canadian Metaphysical (1994); Opening the Island (winner of the 6th annual Atlantic Poetry Prize; nominee for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award; 2002); The Edge of Home: Milton Acorn from the Island (editor, 2002); and Coastlines: The Poetry of Atlantic Canada (co-editor, 2002). Her books and numerous published articles contribute to critical discussions on 19th-century and early 20th-century aesthetics; 17th-century Metaphysiacal poetry; Canadian literature and Maritime literature. Her poetry is published nationally and internationally, and her reviews appear in Canadian Literature, Fiddlehead, and other journals.
As a Governor General Award winner, Dr. Compton will receive a cheque for $15,000 and a specially-crafted copy of Processional bound by Montreal bookbinder Lise Dubois. The Governor General will present a certificate to Fitzhenry and Whiteside, the publishers of Processional, and the Canada Council will provide a $3,000 grant to support promotional activities. Copies of Processional are available for sale in the UPEI Bookstore.
