Wednesday, December 18, 2024
As a young poet, one day an Ontario arts grant arrived in the mail. I had no idea where it came from. But I was happy to receive it and took it as a sign that my poems had some merit. One evening several months later, the telephone rang. “Frank Tierney, here.” His deep, mellifluous voice continued, inquiring when my manuscript would be ready. “Ready?” “Yes, that is why we recommended you for a grant.” And so began my poetry collections being brought to light over the past 40 years. Being the early 70s and in the afterglow of Canada`s centennial celebrations, Canadian publishers were springing up eager to bring Canadian poetry to national attention. Frank Tierney was one of these publishers. A tall, dark-haired Ottawa Valley Irish man, always impeccably dressed, he had a voice that inspired confidence and caring for a poet starting out on his journey. I have thought of him often over the years and the impact he had on me in those early days. Please accept my deepest condolences, Thanks Frank.
