To Live and Die in Scoudouc

By (author): Herménégilde Chiasson

Translated by: Jo-Anne Elder

First published in 1974, Mourir à Scoudouc emerged out of a period of cultural awakening. Chiasson’s poems denounced the narrow limitations of the past and traced the lines of a fresh collective vision. The poems were lyrical, referentially modern, and steeped in the rhythms and forms that had emerged from the Americas, Europe, and India.

Now, more than 40 years later, Herménégilde Chiasson is considered to be the father of Acadian modernism, and Mourir à Scoudouc is widely regarded as one of the foundational works of modern Acadian literature. Several of the poems, including the oft-anthologized long poem, “Eugénie Melanson,” have now achieved iconic status, appearing frequently in books, magazines, and films — in French and in English.

To Live and Die in Scoudouc is the first English edition of this seminal collection. It replicates Chiasson’s design of the 2017 edition and features his own photographs as well as his new introductory essay.

Although several of the poems have been previously translated, To Live and Die in Scoudouc features fresh renditions by Jo-Anne Elder, who worked closely with Chiasson on the translations.

AUTHOR

Herménégilde Chiasson

Herménégilde Chiasson is one of Canada’s most accomplished writer-artists. He is the author of more than 20 books of poetry, over 30 plays, and several collections of essays. A multi-disciplinary artist, he has received numerous awards for his work, including the Governor General’s Award for poetry, the Molson Prize, le prix France-Acadie, le Grand prix de la francophonie canadienne, the prestigious Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and the Prix littéraire Antonine-Maillet-Acadie Vie. From 2003 to 2009, he served as Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick.

AUTHOR

Jo-Anne Elder

Born in East Centreville, New Brunswick, Canadian poet Fred Cogswell (1917-2004) served overseas in the Canadian Army during the Second World War. Cogswell published numerous collections of poetry including Black and White Tapestry (1989), In Praise of Old Music (1992) and The Trouble With Light (1996). In 1958, Cogswell, along with close friend and travelling poet Warren Kinthompson and a group of students and faculty from the University of New Brunswick, founded Fiddlehead Poetry Books, now one of Canada’s important small press publishers operating asGoose Lane Editions. He was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1981.

Reviews

“Le travail d’Elder est de manière générale très solide et très senti, pour faire passer une poésie qui emprunte des sentiers fréquentés mais en étant à l’affût de l’image nouvelle.”
University of Toronto Quarterly

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First published in 1974, Mourir à Scoudouc emerged out of a period of cultural awakening. Chiasson’s poems denounced the narrow limitations of the past and traced the lines of a fresh collective vision. The poems were lyrical, referentially modern, and steeped in the rhythms and forms that had emerged from the Americas, Europe, and India.

Now, more than 40 years later, Herménégilde Chiasson is considered to be the father of Acadian modernism, and Mourir à Scoudouc is widely regarded as one of the foundational works of modern Acadian literature. Several of the poems, including the oft-anthologized long poem, “Eugénie Melanson,” have now achieved iconic status, appearing frequently in books, magazines, and films — in French and in English.

To Live and Die in Scoudouc is the first English edition of this seminal collection. It replicates Chiasson’s design of the 2017 edition and features his own photographs as well as his new introductory essay.

Although several of the poems have been previously translated, To Live and Die in Scoudouc features fresh renditions by Jo-Anne Elder, who worked closely with Chiasson on the translations.

Reader Reviews

Details

Dimensions:

96 Pages
8in * 6.5in * 0.25in
160gr

Published:

May 16, 2018

Publisher:

Goose Lane Editions

ISBN:

9781773100357

9781773100371 – MobiPocket

9781773100364 – EPUB

Book Subjects:

POETRY / Canadian

Featured In:

All Books

Language:

eng

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