George Elliott Clarke2016-2017
Biography
George Elliott Clarke,
On January 5, 2016, the Speaker of the Senate, the Hon. George J. Furey, and the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Hon. Geoff Regan, announced the appointment of George Elliott Clarke as Canada’s next Parliamentary Poet Laureate. On January 1st, Mr. Clarke became Canada’s seventh Poet Laureate, succeeding Mr. Michel Pleau, whose term ended December 31, 2015.
A revered poet, George Elliott Clarke was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, near the Black Loyalist community of Three Mile Plains, in 1960. A graduate of the University of Waterloo (B.A., Hons., 1984), Dalhousie University (M.A., 1989) and Queen's University (Ph.D., 1993), he is now the inaugural E.J. Pratt Professor of Canadian Literature at the University of Toronto. An Assistant Professor of English and Canadian Studies at Duke University, North Carolina (1994-99), Clarke also served as the Seagrams Visiting Chair in Canadian Studies at McGill University (1998-99), and as a Noted Scholar at the University of British Columbia (2002) and as a Visiting Scholar at Mount Allison University (2005), and as the William Lyon Mackenzie King Visiting Professor in Canadian Studies at Harvard University (2013-14). He has also worked as a research, editor, social worker, parliamentary aide, and newspaper columnist. He lives in Toronto, Ontario, but he also owns land in Nova Scotia.
His many honours include the Portia White Prize for Artistic Achievement (1998), Governor-General's Award for Poetry (2001), the National Magazine Gold Medal for Poetry (2001), the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award (2004), the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Fellowship Prize (2005), the Dartmouth Book Award for Fiction (2006), the Eric Hoffer Book Award for Poetry (2009), appointment to the Order of Nova Scotia (2006), appointment to the Order of Canada at the rank of Officer (2008), and eight honorary doctorates. He has recently completed his three year term as the City of Toronto’s Poet Laureate.
National Poetry Registry
Search the National Poetry Registry for poems that refer to Canada’s provinces, territories and federal electoral districts. Poems were selected by parliamentarians, citizens, and a bibliographer.
Poems
Poem written for The Friends of McNabs Island Society | Exploring McNabs Island Poem about youth and politics | In Favour of Youth Political Activism: A Jackpine Sonnet Poem about water policy | Stop All Wishy-Washy Thinking About Water! Poem written for MP Terry Beech | Elegy for Leonard George Poem written for the passing of Austin Chesterfield Clarke | Elegy for Austin Chesterfield Clarke, 1934-2016 Poem about anniversaries in 2017 | On 2017's Various Anniversaries Poem written for the Speaker of the House of Commons | On Heckling, or Oral Violations of Standing Order 16 Poem written for MP Frank Baylis | On Boxing Days, Knights, and High Noons... Personal reflections on the Canadian centennial by George Elliott Clarke | At the Canadian Sesquicentennial, Looking Back at the Centennial: A Little, Personal Nostalgia Poem written for MP Baylis | A Salute to Gloria Clarke Baylis: Canadian Human Rights Pioneer Modified lyrics to the national anthem | O Canada A poem written for first Responders | Fire & Flood: A Ballad for First Responders A poem written about murdered and missing indigenous women | For the Murdered & The Missing: A Spiritual Poem about Indigenous reconciliation through fisheries | On the Restoration of an Indigenous Fisheries Poem written for Natalee Caple | On The Future of Canada Poem written for the Government of Nova Scotia | Order of Nova Scotia Poem written for the passing of Louiselle Bossé Morin | In Memoriam: Louiselle Bossé Morin Poem written for the passing of Vivian White | Elegy to Vivian White Poem inspired by the moose in Buttonville | The Wild Life; or, an Intro to Canadian Philosophy Poem written for Senator Bernard | On Calling for an Inquiry into Racism, Re: The Senate Poem written for Senator Bernard | Federalism and the Black Canadians Poem about the Paradise papers | Auditing the “Paradise Papers”: A Commentary Poem written for the English Montreal School Board | A Foodie’s Alphabet Poem written for Senator Bernard | Step Forward And Never Back Down! Poem written for the passing of Gord Downie | An Elegy for Gord Downie Poem commemorating the First World War | They Trooped the Colours Poem written for Status of Women Canada | Place/Position/Status Poem about the succession of Governors General in Canada | On the Succession of Governors-General Poem about an Indigenous archeological site | Musings on the Debert Paleo-Indigenous Site Poem written for His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada | Ode to the Order of Canada, “The People’s Nobility,” on the 50th Anniversary of Its 1967 Founding Poem written for MP Bill Casey | Of Beaubassin, Acadie: A Cautionary History Poem written for MP Alaina Lockhart | A Guide to Fundy Royal Poem commemorating the Lac-Mégantic disaster | The Ballad of the Lac-Mégantic Disaster Poem written for Kevin Grant | Toward a Poetic History of Lockeport: A Few Notes Poem written for MP Julie Dabrusin | Anthem for Liberty’s Champions Poem written for MP Dzerowicz | Sonnets for the Portuguese Poem written for MP Dzerowicz | Eyes on Davenport Poem written for MP Scarpaleggia | On Lac-Saint-Louis: The Flux and Flow Poem about the Marijuana Legislation | Up in Smoke, or Reverie on the “Mary Jane” Legislation Poem written for the passing of Richard B. Wright | Elegy for Richard B. Wright Poem written for the passing of Stuart McLean | Elegy for Stuart McLean Poem about Winnipeg | Surveying Winnipeg Poem written for Senator Bernard | On Autism, or Authoritative Art Poem on the Centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge | On the Centennial of the Battle for Vimy Ridge Poem written for MP Elizabeth May | Earth Day Emergency Poem written for the Minister of Justice | On the 35th Anniversary of the Promulgation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms Poem written for Senator Bovey | On the Proposal for a Visual Artist Laureate Poem written for Senator Bernard | On Political Economy; or, The Ballad of Viola Desmond Poem written for MP Marc Miller | Big Up for Little Burgundy Poem written after the Quebec City mosque shooting | Ain’t You Scared of the Sacred?: A Spiritual Poem written for MP Irene Mathyssen | No Second London Poem written for the Minister of the Environment and climate change | Beat Meditations: Beach / Mountain Poem written for MP Larry Bagnell | Yukon / Utopia Poem written for Senator Peter Harder | The Senate of Canada: An Update-in-Progress Poem written for MP Dabrusin | Statement on pronouns Poem written for the passing of Fidel Castro | An Elegy—Non-Partisan—for Fidel Castro Poem written for the passing of Leonard Cohen | Elegy for Leonard Cohen Poem written for MP Marc Miller | Homage to the Veterans of the Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Sœurs Constituency Poem written for the Peter Wall Institute | Diverse By Design Poem written and read by Mr. Clarke at his investiture │ Alexandria Alight Poems to commemorate the Centre Block fire of 1916 │ Parliamentary Incendiary No title Honouring Pierre DesRuisseaux, Canada's 4th Parliamentary Poet Laureate │ Reading Pierre DesRuisseaux
Bibliography
News
Titles with an asterisk* are available in French only
May 12, 2017 The Joshua Tree at Thirty tour.April 26, 2016 George Elliott Clarke on his biggest writing turn-ons April 4, 2016 George Elliott Clarke crashes local poetry party March 23, 2016 George Elliott Clarke to mentor unpublished writers as judge of a national poetry contest March 17, 2016 Canada’s Poet Laureate, George Elliott Clarke an observer of Nova Scotia’s past February 27, 2016 George Elliott Clarke takes risks in his new novel February 24, 2016 Django Unchains #oscarssowhite by George Elliott ClarkeFebruary 22, 2016 BHM: George Elliott Clarke: The Motorcyclist (novel) February 20, 2016 Rencontre avec George Elliott Clarke, le nouveau poète officiel du Parlement fédéral *February 19, 2016 Review: George Elliott Clarke celebrates his father’s life in The Motorcyclist February 15, 2016 George Elliott Clarke explores race, class and Jane Austen February 8, 2016 Canada’s Parliamentary Poet Laureate creates “unforgettable” character who explores a racial divide and the divide within himself February 5, 2016 “George Elliott Clarke: 'I had to delight in crayons and Nancy Drew'” February 1, 2016 Black History Month: Lawrence Hill, George Elliott Clarke pick young black authors to watch January 29, 2016 Get your motor runnin’: George Elliott Clarke takes us on a wild ride January 27, 2016 George Elliott Clarke turns to father’s 1959 journal for inspiration January 25, 2016 George Elliott Clarke est le nouveau poète officiel du Parlement *January 18, 2016 Canada’s George Elliott Clarke named Canada’s poet laureate January 12, 2016 Canada’s Poet Laureate: In conversation with Windsor’s George Elliott Clarke January 9, 2016 George Elliott Clarke named parliamentary poet laureate January 6, 2016 George Elliott Clarke named Canada’s new parliamentary poet laureate January 6, 2016 Nova Scotia’s George Elliott Clarke named parliamentary poet laureate January 6, 2016 George Elliott Clarke, a poet laureate with a social conscience January 6, 2016 George Elliott Clarke, nouveau poète officiel du Parlement *January 6, 2016 George Elliott Clarke nommé poète officiel du Parlement du Canada *5 janvier 2016 Un Néo-Écossais devient le poète officiel du Parlement *5 January 2016 announced Canada’s 7th Parliamentary Poet Laureate
