| Who Are We?: Last Poems: 2016 - 2017 Contributor(s): Miller, Edith Hoisington (Author) |
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ISBN: 1988299225 ISBN-13: 9781988299228 Publisher: Chapel Street Editions OUR PRICE: $11.40 Product Type: Paperback Published: April 2019 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Poetry |
| Physical Information: 0.12" H x 6" W x 9" (0.19 lbs) 50 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Although Edith Miller was always a writer, she took up the composition of poems in the last decades of her life, a time when those who savour the resonance of words often wish to put their love of life and the beauty of the world into a legacy of language. With the publication of Crow Impressions and Other Poems in 2016, Edith did just that. With the publication of Who Are We? she has added a further contribution to this great tradition. In both books, we encounter the unmistakable imprint of the spirit and energy that animated Edith and her creative work. But what has impressed me most as I have worked with her poems and prepared her books for publication, is the recurring presence of family in what she chooses to celebrate. It has been noted that Edith was the centreing presence of her family, but clearly when she came to focus on what mattered most, family was the centreing presence for her. At the memorial celebrating her life, husband, Michael, and sons, Andrew, Nate, and Joel formed a combo to play some of Edith's favourite music, including jazz tunes. At the conclusion, they picked up their instruments and continued to play as they proceeded down the aisle from the front of the chapel to the rear. Michael led with a little dance step, followed by Joel on the sax, Andrew playing the double bass, and Nate with a hand drum. It was an astounding moment of celebration in the midst of sorrow by those most affected. It was as if the family, in their natural mode of creativity, had made itself into a tangible expression of the spirit in which Edith lived. The effect was utterly transporting; Edith's family had lifted the celebration into communion with an imperishable love of life. Between her two books, Edith completed sixty-five poems for publication. Although this is a modest number, the amplitude of her work continues to evoke appreciative response from those who discover it. My thanks to Joel Miller for his enthusiastic coordination of the work it took to create Who Are We? The manuscript was yet to be titled when we began preparing it for publication. Joel chose the title from one of the poems. No second thought was needed. It was a perfect fit. I am sure Edith would agree. Keith Helmuth, Publisher |
Contributor Bio(s): Miller, Edith Hoisington: - Edith Hoisington Miller was born in 1932 in Ossining, New York. After a brief career in publishing with the McGraw-Hill Book Company and as a freelance compositor, she met and married organist, choirmaster, and composer, Michael R. Miller. The Millers came to Sackville, New Brunswick in 1967 where Michael served as professor of music for thirty-two years at Mount Allison University. After Michael's retirement, the Millers moved to Fredericton, New Brunswick. Edith Miller was active in a wide variety of community-based art organizations in Sackville and Fredericton. She participated in choral singing, dancing, and creative writing programs. She taught creative movement to children and adults. In addition, she was deeply engaged in social justice work, including alliance building with First Nation communities. She wrote a biweekly column for the Sackville Tribune-Post on environmental, justice, and Indigenous issues. She did publicity writing for arts organizations and contributed articles on the arts, especially on dance, to various publications. Edith is the author of Crow Impressions and Other Poems (2016). Edith was a member of the Writer's Federation of New Brunswick from which she received awards for her nonfiction writing and poetry. She is the mother of three sons, Andrew, Nate, and Joel, all of whom are musicians. Edith was an active member of the New Brunswick Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). |