Lorna Crozier
Encyclopedia
Lorna Crozier is a Canadian poet and holds the Head Chair in the Writing Department at the University of Victoria
.
Crozier attended the University of Saskatchewan
where she received her B.A. in 1969, and the University of Alberta
where she received her M.A.
in 1980. Before publishing her poems and stories, Crozier was a high school English
teacher and guidance counsellor. During these years, her first poem was published in Grain magazine. She also taught creative writing at the Banff School of Fine Arts, the Saskatchewan Summer School of the Arts, and the Sechelt Summer Writing Festival. Crozier has served as the writer-in-residence at the Cypress Hills Community College in 1983, the Regina Public Library
, and the University of Toronto
in 1989.
Crozier has authored 15 books of work, which typically focus on human relationships, the natural world, language
, and memory and perception. Alongside partner Patrick Lane
, Crozier has co-authored, No Longer Two People (1979), and co-edited Breathing Fire: Canada’s New Poets (1995), and Breathing Fire 2 (2004).
A book review from The Globe and Mail by Jacqueline Baker on Crozier’s book, "Small Beneath the Sky: A Prairie Memoir", emphasized Crozier’s prairie roots, and gave positive feedback on this memoir. In an interview with Joseph Planta of THECOMMENTARY.ca regarding the same book, she reveals the alcohol]] and poverty that surrounded her as a child. Although she grew up with a fairly difficult childhood, Crozier took her past and turned it into well renowned poetry.
She has received a 1992 Governor General's Awards, the Canadian Author’s Association Award for Poetry, the National Magazine Award (Gold Medal), and first prize in the National CBC Literary Competition. Crozier received the University of Victoria
’s Distinguished Professors Award and the University of Regina
presented her with an honorary Doctorate of Law in 2004. Crozier has given various benefit readings for organizations such as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
, Wintergreen Studios
, The Land Conservancy of British Columbia, the Victoria READ Society, and PEERS, a group devoted to getting prostitutes off the streets. She has read her poetry on every continent other than Antarctica, and on May 19, 2005 Crozier recited a poem for Queen Elizabeth II as part of Saskatchewan’s Centennial Celebration.
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
.
Crozier attended the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
where she received her B.A. in 1969, and the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
where she received her M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1980. Before publishing her poems and stories, Crozier was a high school English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
teacher and guidance counsellor. During these years, her first poem was published in Grain magazine. She also taught creative writing at the Banff School of Fine Arts, the Saskatchewan Summer School of the Arts, and the Sechelt Summer Writing Festival. Crozier has served as the writer-in-residence at the Cypress Hills Community College in 1983, the Regina Public Library
Regina Public Library
Regina Public Library is a city-wide library system spread throughout nine locations that serves the citizens of Regina, Saskatchewan by providing an open and accessible environment where anyone can access information for work, study, and recreation...
, and the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1989.
Crozier has authored 15 books of work, which typically focus on human relationships, the natural world, language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
, and memory and perception. Alongside partner Patrick Lane
Patrick Lane
Patrick Lane is an award-winning Canadian poet. He has written in several other genres, including essays, short stories, and is the author of the novel Red Dog, Red Dog.-Biography:...
, Crozier has co-authored, No Longer Two People (1979), and co-edited Breathing Fire: Canada’s New Poets (1995), and Breathing Fire 2 (2004).
A book review from The Globe and Mail by Jacqueline Baker on Crozier’s book, "Small Beneath the Sky: A Prairie Memoir", emphasized Crozier’s prairie roots, and gave positive feedback on this memoir. In an interview with Joseph Planta of THECOMMENTARY.ca regarding the same book, she reveals the alcohol]] and poverty that surrounded her as a child. Although she grew up with a fairly difficult childhood, Crozier took her past and turned it into well renowned poetry.
She has received a 1992 Governor General's Awards, the Canadian Author’s Association Award for Poetry, the National Magazine Award (Gold Medal), and first prize in the National CBC Literary Competition. Crozier received the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
’s Distinguished Professors Award and the University of Regina
University of Regina
The University of Regina is a public research university located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Founded in 1911 as a private denominational high school of the Methodist Church of Canada, it began an association with the University of Saskatchewan as a junior college in 1925, and was disaffiliated...
presented her with an honorary Doctorate of Law in 2004. Crozier has given various benefit readings for organizations such as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a non-profit animal welfare organization originally founded in England in 1824 to pass laws protecting carriage horses from abuse. SPCA groups are now found in many nations, where they campaign for animal welfare, assist in cruelty to animals...
, Wintergreen Studios
Wintergreen Studios
Wintergreen Studios is a wilderness education and retreat center in southeastern Ontario, Canada. Year round facilities at Wintergreen are off-the-grid, and use straw-bale construction and cordwood construction. Wintergreen hosts gardening and wilderness programs for youth, workshops on a local and...
, The Land Conservancy of British Columbia, the Victoria READ Society, and PEERS, a group devoted to getting prostitutes off the streets. She has read her poetry on every continent other than Antarctica, and on May 19, 2005 Crozier recited a poem for Queen Elizabeth II as part of Saskatchewan’s Centennial Celebration.
Poetry
- Inside is the Sky - 1976 (as Lorna Uher)
- Crow's Black Joy - 1979 (as Lorna Uher)
- Humans and Other Beasts - 1980 (as Lorna Uher)
- No Longer Two People - 1981 (with Patrick Lane)
- The Weather - 1983
- The Garden Going On Without Us - 1985 (nominated for a Governor General's Award1985 Governor General's AwardsEach winner of the 1985 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit was selected by a panel of judges administered by the Canada Council for the Arts.-Fiction:Winner:*Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's TaleOther Finalists:...
) - Angels of Flesh, Angels of Silence - 1988 (nominated for a Governor General's Award1988 Governor General's AwardsEach winner of the 1988 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit received $5000 dollars and a medal from the Governor General of Canada. The winners and nominees were selected by a panel of judges administered by the Canada Council for the Arts.-Fiction:...
) - Inventing the Hawk - 1992 (winner of the Governor General's Award for poetry1992 Governor General's AwardsEach winner of the 1992 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit received $10,000 and a medal from the Governor General of Canada. The winners were selected by a panel of judges administered by the Canada Council for the Arts.-Fiction:Winner:...
, and the Pat Lowther AwardPat Lowther AwardThe 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...
) - Everything Arrives at the Light - 1995 (winner of the Pat Lowther AwardPat Lowther AwardThe 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 Saving Grace: Collected Poems - 1996
- What the Living Won't Let Go - 1999
- Apocrypha of Light - 2002
- Bones in their Wings: Ghazals - 2003
- Whetstone - 2005
- Bones in Their Wings: Ghazals - 2006
- The Blue Hour of the Day: Selected Poems - 2007
- Small Beneath the Sky - 2009
Anthologies
- A Sudden Radiance - 1987 (with Gary Hyland)
- Breathing Fire - 1995 (with Patrick Lane)
- Desire in Seven Voices - 2000
- Addicted: Notes from the Belly of the Beast - 2001 (with Patrick Lane)
- Breathing Fire 2 - 2004 (with Patrick Lane)