George Stanley (poet)
Encyclopedia
George Stanley is an award-winning American-Canadian
poet associated with the San Francisco Renaissance
in his early years and later a resident of British Columbia
.
He has published several books of poetry. One of his best-known poems is "Veracruz". In 2006
he won the Shelley Memorial Award
.
Stanley considers T. S. Eliot
, Robert Lowell
, and Charles Olson
important influences on his poetry.
, Robert Duncan
and Robin Blaser
.
He received his bachelor's degree from San Francisco State University
in 1969, and a master's degree in 1971.
In the 1970s, Stanley moved to British Columbia, first living in Vancouver
for five years, then Terrace
in northern British Columbia, where he worked as an instructor in the English department at Northwest Community College
. He has also worked at Capilano College
in North Vancouver.
In Vancouver in the early 1970s Stanley became associated with New Star Books, and The Grape, an alternative newspaper. He also has been active in Canadian politics, unions and alternative media. He is a board member of the The Capilano Press Society, publisher of The Capilano Review.
He retired and again lives in Vancouver.
Canadian poetry
- Beginnings:The earliest works of poetry, mainly written by visitors, described the new territories in optimistic terms, mainly targeted at a European audience...
poet associated with the San Francisco Renaissance
San Francisco Renaissance
The term San Francisco Renaissance is used as a global designation for a range of poetic activity centered on San Francisco and which brought it to prominence as a hub of the American poetic avant-garde. However, others The term San Francisco Renaissance is used as a global designation for a range...
in his early years and later a resident of 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...
.
He has published several books of poetry. One of his best-known poems is "Veracruz". In 2006
2006 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* French public notary Patrick Huet unveils Pieces of Hope to the Echo of the World in Lyon...
he won the Shelley Memorial Award
Shelley Memorial Award
The Shelley Memorial Award of more than $3,500, given out by the Poetry Society of America, was established by the will of the late Mary P. Sears, and named after the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. The prize is given to a living American poet selected with reference to genius and need. The selection is...
.
Stanley considers T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
, Robert Lowell
Robert Lowell
Robert Traill Spence Lowell IV was an American poet, considered the founder of the confessional poetry movement. He was appointed the sixth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress where he served from 1947 until 1948...
, and Charles Olson
Charles Olson
Charles Olson , was a second generation American modernist poet who was a link between earlier figures such as Ezra Pound and William Carlos Williams and the New American poets, which includes the New York School, the Black Mountain School, the Beat poets, and the San Francisco Renaissance...
important influences on his poetry.
Life
Born and raised in San Francisco, Stanley was part of the San Francisco Renaissance, which also included Jack SpicerJack Spicer
Jack Spicer was an American poet often identified with the San Francisco Renaissance. In 2009, My Vocabulary Did This to Me: The Collected Poetry of Jack Spicer won the American Book Award for poetry.-Life and work:...
, Robert Duncan
Robert Duncan (poet)
Robert Duncan was an American poet and a student of H.D. and the Western esoteric tradition who spent most of his career in and around San Francisco. Though associated with any number of literary traditions and schools, Duncan is often identified with the poets of the New American Poetry and Black...
and Robin Blaser
Robin Blaser
Robin Francis Blaser was an author and poet in both the United States and Canada.-Personal background:Born in Denver, Colorado, Blaser grew up in Idaho, and came to Berkeley, California, in 1944. There he met Jack Spicer and Robert Duncan, becoming a key figure in the San Francisco Renaissance of...
.
He received his bachelor's degree from San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
in 1969, and a master's degree in 1971.
In the 1970s, Stanley moved to British Columbia, first living 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,...
for five years, then Terrace
Terrace, British Columbia
Terrace is a city on the Skeena River in British Columbia, Canada. The Kitselas people, a tribe of the Tsimshian Nation, have lived in the Terrace area for thousands of years. The community population fell between 2001 and 2006 from 12,109 with a regional population of 19,980 to 11,320 and...
in northern British Columbia, where he worked as an instructor in the English department at Northwest Community College
Northwest Community College
Northwest Community College is a post-secondary educational institution that serves the residents of northwest British Columbia. NWCC was first established in Terrace in 1975..-Campus:...
. He has also worked at Capilano College
Capilano College
Capilano University is an undergraduate-focused, public, coeducational, teaching-intensive university located in the District of North Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. It is enabled by the University Act...
in North Vancouver.
In Vancouver in the early 1970s Stanley became associated with New Star Books, and The Grape, an alternative newspaper. He also has been active in Canadian politics, unions and alternative media. He is a board member of the The Capilano Press Society, publisher of The Capilano Review.
He retired and again lives in Vancouver.
Books
- Gentle Northern Summer (New Star, 1995)
- At Andy's (New Star, 2000)
- A Tall, Serious Girl (Qua Books, 2003), his selected works
- Opening Day
- The Stick
- You
- Temporarily
- San Francisco's Gone
- Vancouver: A Poem (New Star, 2008)
External links
- http://wither.unbc.ca/winter/number.two/stanley/stanley.html Interview, "It's Still Winter" at Web site of the English Department of the University of Northern British Columbia
Poems
- "Veracruz"
- "Abner"
- "The Power of the Unhappy People"
- "Outside the Kingdome"
- "Aubade"
- "Sex at 62"
- "In Scotland"