Toronto poet Michael Fraser wants writers to keep the faith when it comes to creating great poetry
-
Loading... - Daan Dekker
- 26 May 2022
- 290 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Michael Fraser is a Canadian poet based in Toronto. His newest poetry collection, The Day-Breakers, was published in April. He won the 2016 CBC Poetry Prize for the poem African Canadian in Union Blue.
He is the author of the poetry collections The Serenity of Stone, which won the 2007 Canadian Aid Literary Award Contest, and To Greet Yourself Arriving. The Day-Breakers, a fictional retelling of Black soldiers' experiences during the American Civil War, is his third collection of poetry.
The 2022 CBC Poetry Prize is open for submissions until May 31, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The finalists will be announced in fall 2022.
The CBC Poetry Prize recognizes works of original unpublished poetry, up to 600 words in length. The winner will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, have the opportunity to attend a two-week writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and have their work published on CBC Books.
The Day-Breakers imagines the selflessness of Black soldiers who fought for the Union — of whom hundreds were African-Canadian — during the American Civil War, fighting for the freedom of their brethren and the dawning of a new day. Fraser's poems brilliantly capture the rhythms of their voices and the era in which they lived and fought.
Fraser spoke to Gloria Macarenko on CBC Radio's On the Coast about the inspiration behind The Day-Breakers and what makes for a captivating CBC Poetry Prize entry.
Your new poetry collection is called The Day-Breakers. What can you tell us about it for people who maybe haven't read it yet?
The Day-Breakers is an homage to African Canadians who fought in the American Civil War and essentially chronicles their experiences, their struggles and triumphs. And, of course, it's presented through a poetic lens.
What inspired you to put this collection together?
I've always had a fascination with the Civil War for a million reasons. First, it's widely considered the first modern war, with numerous technological advances, including ironclad ships, aerial reconnaissance and submarines, which is pretty cool. And of course, there were Black troops fighting for emancipation.
Through my research, I discovered the 54th Massachusetts — which was the first Black regiment — was also the first engaged in combat. Although they had an unsuccessful assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina, they gained respect for Black soldiers throughout the union. Then they were used in battle after that point. They're also the most heralded Black battalion.
Through my research, I discovered the 54th Massachusetts — which was the first Black regiment — was also the first engaged in combat.
There's the movie Glory. Have you heard of it or seen it?
Yes, I've heard of Glory.
It's often considered the best Civil War movie. That's the movie that made Denzel Washington. He's phenomenal in it. If you can get past the Ferris Bueller thing, it's a great movie.
But here's the coolest thing about the 54th Massachusetts. It was filled with Black Canadians. And of course, that completely piqued my interest. This happened because the Massachusetts governor at the time, John Andrew, was a staunch abolitionist. He commissioned his friend, the Frederick Douglass, to form the first Black regiment. The first two recruits were actually Douglass' own sons.
There was a major issue recruiting because it was Massachusetts and there weren't that many Black men in Massachusetts, so they canvassed all across the northern states and into Canada. And that's how these African Canadians had an outsized influence on American history. It's a fascinating story. Read More…
