Alberta Poetry Yearbook

Alberta Poetry Year Book Cover Page (1930)

The Alberta Poetry Yearbook was an annual publication of entries into a poetry contest administered by the Canadian Authors Association (CAA), Edmonton, Alberta branch. The chapbook was published from 1930 until 1990, and the final year of publication was followed by a collection of the best work published in the annual volumes. ^[1]

History

The Alberta Poetry Year Book was established in 1930 by Edmonton Branch CAA member Georgia May Cook and secretary Ida Alberta (nee Srigley) Scouten. ^[2] Scouten was evidently a writer's dream of an editor as she was reported to carry on an extensive and sympathetic correspondence with many of the contributors, winners and losers alike.^{[ citation needed ]} Through the Alberta Poetry Year Book, the Edmonton Branch of the CAA sought to inspire Canadian writers to draw inspiration from Canadian nature and subjects, in addition to awakening in Canadians a deeper patriotism and interest in their own country. ^[3]

Entry fees covered the cost of prizes, production and distribution and it made a small profit for the Branch. Modest cash prizes were also awarded for the top submissions. ^[4]

Scouten remained as editor of the Alberta Poetry Year Book until 1951 when poor health forced her to relinquish editorship. June Fritch succeeded Scouten in 1952 and edited the for the next 27 years. Cora Taylor served as editor from 1980–85, R. John Hayes from 1986–87 and Jane Livingston from 1988–89. ^{[2] [5]} In 1990, John W. Chalmers edited a collection of the best sixty years of the Alberta Poetry Yearbook, entitled Sixty Singing Years, with the editorial assistance of Cora Taylor and Elaine Moody.

In 1990, the final edition of the Alberta Poetry Year Book was published. Running for 60 years, the Alberta Poetry Year Book served as an important poetry market and starting place for aspiring poets.

See also

• Canadian poetry

References

1. Melnyk, George (1998). The Literary History of Alberta: From Writing-on-Stone to World War Two . Vol. 1. Edmonton, Alberta: University of Alberta. pp. 166–167. ISBN   0-88864-296-2.
2. Adams, James (January 18, 1986). "Poets Yearn for Alberta's Yearbook". Edmonton Journal. p. 41.
3. "Articles - Anthologies and the Canonization Process: - A Case Study of the English-Canadian Literary Field, 1920-1950". journals.lib.unb.ca. Retrieved February 19, 2025.
4. Melnyk 1998, p. 167.
5. Chalmers, John W.; Taylor, Cora; Moody, Elaine, eds. (1990). Sixty Singing Years: An Anthology of Canadian Verse Chosen from Selections First Published in the Sixty Editions of the Alberta Poetry Yearbook. Edmonton, AB: Edmonton Branch, Canadian Authors Association. p. 181. ISBN   0-9690084-4-9.