Pat Lowther
Encyclopedia
Patricia Louise Lowther (July 29, 1935 - September 24?, 1975) was a Canadian
poet. Born in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, she grew up in the neighboring city of North Vancouver
.
.
It wasn't until 1968 that she published her first collection, This Difficult Flowering, with Very Stone House, a small Canadian poetry press. In 1972, "The Age of the Bird", a long poem inspired by revolutionary politics in South America
, was published as a broadside by Blackfish Press. Its companion poem, "Regard to Naruda", was written for Pablo Neruda
, one of Lowther's political and literary inspirations.
She was co-chair of the League of Canadian Poets
, and the BC Arts Council. She taught at the University of British Columbia
.
Milk Stone, published in 1974 by Borealis Press, became Lowther's breakthrough into Canadian mainstream literature. A Stone Diary was submitted to Oxford University Press
in 1975. In late September of that year, Lowther disappeared. Three weeks later, her body was found in a creek
near Squamish
, British Columbia. Her second husband Roy Lowther, whom she had married in 1963, was convicted of the murder in June 1977. He died in Matsqui prison, Abbotsford, British Columbia, on July 14, 1985.
Her daughters are the poet Christine Lowther, Beth Lowther, and Kathy Lyons. Her son is Alan Domphousse.
established the Pat Lowther Award
, a prize awarded annually to a book of poetry by a Canadian woman.
A manuscript was discovered in 1996 and published under the title Time Capsule.
Lowther's life and death have served to inspire a number of works, including her daughter Christine Lowther’s first poetry collection, New Power (1999), and the novels Swann: A Mystery
(1987) by Carol Shields
and Furry Creek by Keith Henderson
(1999).
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. Born in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, 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...
, she grew up in the neighboring city of North Vancouver
North Vancouver, British Columbia
There are two municipalities in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada, that use the name North Vancouver. These are:*The City of North Vancouver...
.
Life
When she was ten years old, her first published poem appeared in The Vancouver SunThe Vancouver Sun
The Vancouver Sun is a daily newspaper first published in the Canadian province of British Columbia on February 12, 1912. The paper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. It is published six days a week, Monday to Saturday...
.
It wasn't until 1968 that she published her first collection, This Difficult Flowering, with Very Stone House, a small Canadian poetry press. In 1972, "The Age of the Bird", a long poem inspired by revolutionary politics in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, was published as a broadside by Blackfish Press. Its companion poem, "Regard to Naruda", was written for Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda was the pen name and, later, legal name of the Chilean poet, diplomat and politician Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He chose his pen name after Czech poet Jan Neruda....
, one of Lowther's political and literary inspirations.
She was co-chair of the League of Canadian Poets
League of Canadian Poets
The League of Canadian Poets , a non-profit arts service organization, is the national association of professional publishing and spoken word poets in Canada...
, and the BC Arts Council. She taught at the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
.
Milk Stone, published in 1974 by Borealis Press, became Lowther's breakthrough into Canadian mainstream literature. A Stone Diary was submitted to Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
in 1975. In late September of that year, Lowther disappeared. Three weeks later, her body was found in a creek
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
near Squamish
Squamish, British Columbia
Squamish is a community and a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located at the north end of Howe Sound on the Sea to Sky Highway...
, British Columbia. Her second husband Roy Lowther, whom she had married in 1963, was convicted of the murder in June 1977. He died in Matsqui prison, Abbotsford, British Columbia, on July 14, 1985.
Her daughters are the poet Christine Lowther, Beth Lowther, and Kathy Lyons. Her son is Alan Domphousse.
Legacy
Two years after the poet's murder, Oxford published A Stone Diary. In 1980, a collection of Lowther's early and unpublished poems, Final Instructions, was also published. Also that year, the League of Canadian PoetsLeague of Canadian Poets
The League of Canadian Poets , a non-profit arts service organization, is the national association of professional publishing and spoken word poets in Canada...
established the Pat Lowther Award
Pat Lowther Award
The Pat Lowther Memorial Award is an annual award presented by the League of Canadian Poets to the year's best book of poetry by a Canadian woman. It is presented in honour of poet Pat Lowther, who was murdered by her husband in 1975. Each winner receives an honorarium of $1000.-Winners:*1981 - M...
, a prize awarded annually to a book of poetry by a Canadian woman.
A manuscript was discovered in 1996 and published under the title Time Capsule.
Lowther's life and death have served to inspire a number of works, including her daughter Christine Lowther’s first poetry collection, New Power (1999), and the novels Swann: A Mystery
Swann: A Mystery
Swann: A Mystery is a novel by the late Carol Shields which details the impact of an obscure Canadian poet, Mary Swann, upon four individuals: a feminist literary critic, the poet's biographer, a small-town librarian, and a crusty, brilliant newspaper editor...
(1987) by Carol Shields
Carol Shields
Carol Ann Shields, CC, OM, FRSC, MA was an American-born Canadian author. She is best known for her 1993 novel The Stone Diaries, which won the U.S. Pulitzer Prize for Fiction as well as the Governor General's Award in Canada.-Biography:Shields was born in Oak Park, Illinois...
and Furry Creek by Keith Henderson
Keith Henderson
Keith Henderson is a former American football running back who played for the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League....
(1999).