William Bliss Carman

(1861-1929)
Canada's best known poet ~

William Bliss Carman was born in Fredricton, New Brunswick in 1861. Educated at the University of New Brunswick, he went on to further his studies at Oxford, London, and Harvard in the United States, 1886-88. He also worked as a literary journalist in New York for two years. After leaving that position he supported himself by lecturing and reading poetry on tours. Eventually, Carman chose to take residence with Dr.and Mrs King of Connecticut in 1908, and remained there until his death in 1929. Bliss was also a descendent of Daniel Bliss of Concord, Massachusetts, the great-grandfather of Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

Carman has been awarded the Lorne Pierce Medal of the Royal Society of Canada in recognition for his contribution to Canadian Literature and is also referred as Canada's unofficial Poet Laureate. He is also recognized for his anthology and editing work on The World's Best Poetry, and The Oxford Book of American Verse. Among his works are Pipes of Pan and A Winter Holiday (poetry collections), and Talks on Poetry and Life. He's written over fifty volumes of poetry.

"Set me a task in which I can put something of my very self, and it is a task no longer;
it is joy; it is art." - William Bliss Carman

Selected Work ~