Audrey Alexandra Brown
Encyclopedia
Audrey Alexandra Brown was a Canadian
poet.
Brown was born in Nanaimo
, British Columbia
.
In 1944, she was the first female poet awarded the Royal Society of Canada
's Lorne Pierce Medal
. In 1967, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
"for her contributions to Canadian poetry". http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=213
After about 1950, literary history suddenly dropped Audrey Alexandra Brown from the poetic canon. Despite the accolades, the awards, and the best wishes of those who early on championed her work, and particularly Toronto professor Pelham Edgar—and those who may have played upon the fact that she was crippled by rheumatic fever—she was side-lined by modernism and professional literary critics. She was aware of what was happening, but helpless to stop it. Her failing, she claimed, was that she had no real experience of life.
She was a personal friend of the Canadian poet and civil servant Duncan Campbell Scott
late in his life, and he was influential in introducing Pelham Edgar to her poems.
A very complete archive of her works, manuscripts, and unpublished material is in the Special Collections of the University of Victoria. The only major summary and analysis of her life and writing career can be found in G. Kim Blank's essay in ARC Poetry Review (vol 58), Summer, 2007.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
poet.
Brown was born in Nanaimo
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Nanaimo is a city on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It has been dubbed the "Bathtub Racing Capital of the World" and "Harbour City". Nanaimo is also sometimes referred to as the "Hub City" because of its central location on Vancouver Island and due to the layout of the downtown...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
In 1944, she was the first female poet awarded the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
's Lorne Pierce Medal
Lorne Pierce Medal
The Lorne Pierce Medal is awarded every two years by the Royal Society of Canada to recognize achievement of special significance and conspicuous merit in imaginative or critical literature written in either English or French...
. In 1967, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
"for her contributions to Canadian poetry". http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=213
After about 1950, literary history suddenly dropped Audrey Alexandra Brown from the poetic canon. Despite the accolades, the awards, and the best wishes of those who early on championed her work, and particularly Toronto professor Pelham Edgar—and those who may have played upon the fact that she was crippled by rheumatic fever—she was side-lined by modernism and professional literary critics. She was aware of what was happening, but helpless to stop it. Her failing, she claimed, was that she had no real experience of life.
She was a personal friend of the Canadian poet and civil servant Duncan Campbell Scott
Duncan Campbell Scott
Duncan Campbell Scott was a Canadian poet and prose writer. With Charles G.D. Roberts, Bliss Carman, and Archibald Lampman, he is classed as one of Canada's Confederation Poets....
late in his life, and he was influential in introducing Pelham Edgar to her poems.
A very complete archive of her works, manuscripts, and unpublished material is in the Special Collections of the University of Victoria. The only major summary and analysis of her life and writing career can be found in G. Kim Blank's essay in ARC Poetry Review (vol 58), Summer, 2007.
Selected bibliography
- A Dryad in Nanaimo, 1931
- A Dryad in Nanaimo with 11 New Poems, 1934
- The Tree of Resurrection and other poems, 1937
- The Log of a Lame Duck, 1937
- Challenge to Life and Death, 1943
- V-E Day, 1946
- All Fool's Day, 1948