Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Earle Birney, fully Earle Alfred Birney

Canadian Poet and Novelist, Two-time winner of Governor General's Award (Canada's top literary honor)

"Love rests on the preservation of our species; art is our instinctive instrument for the preservation of the individual, of the unique man, woman and child, and the means of evolution of us all into something able and worthy of survival on the living earth."

"The Sun never sets. It is we who rise think to shine."

"The essentials of poetry are rhythm, dance, and the human voice."

"Since we had always sky about, when we had eagles they flew out leaving no shadow bigger then wrens' to trouble our most aeromantic hens. Too busy bridging loneliness to be alone we hacked in ties what Emily etched in bone. We French, we English, never lost our civil war, Endure it still, a bloodless civil bore; No wounded lying about, no Whitman wanted. It's only by our lack of ghosts we're haunted."