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Celebrating Poets Over 70 is a new anthology, edited by Marianne Vespry and Ellen Ryan and jointly published by the McMaster University Centre for Gerontological Studies and Tower Poetry Society in Hamilton, Ontario. The anthology and associated website highlight the fine poetry being written by individuals over 70. Some authors are poets published in books and magazines across their lifetime, while others have turned to poetry as a late life calling.
The call for poems yielded 1100+ poems submitted by 330 poets. The 200 poems in the anthology are organized into 12 themes: childhood, generations, history, love, encounters, aging, death, nature, reflection, dementia, memory, and words. Brief biographies reflect the diversity of backgrounds, interests, and experiences among these poets, mostly from Canada and the USA with Australia and the UK represented.
The oldest poet, Marion Fields Wyllie of Owen Sound, Ontario, was born in 1906. Having published her first poem in The Globe in 1920, she launched her book of memoirs on her 100th birthday and her latest book of poetry on her 103rd birthday. She continues to attend the monthly meetings of the Grey/Bruce Writers group, which she founded nearly 30 years ago.
Visit the Celebrating Poets website (www.celebratingpoetsover70.ca) to view the poems and to order the anthology. Discounts available for 10 copies or more.


McMaster University, Aging KTH-226
Hamilton ON L8S 4K1
Ellen Ryan