About Us

Since its launch in March 2012, the Atlantic Canadian Poets' Archive (ACPA) has grown to include entries on many poets from the Atlantic provinces. Among of them are the contemporary, the foundational, and the obscure. Diversity in style, form, theme, and subject speak to the importance of each entry, which all contribute to our understanding of the poetics of Atlantic Canada as a whole.
Many of the poets featured on this archive have received major regional and national awards: Don Domanski, Lesley Choyce, Sue Goyette, John Steffler, Tonja Gunvaldsen-Klaassen, and Susan Paddon have all won the J.M. Abrahams award (formerly the Atlantic Poetry Prize); Don McKay is the two-time winner of the Governor General’s Poetry Award, along with previous winners Al Purdy, George Elliott Clarke, and nominees Tammy Armstrong and Lynn Davies; both McKay and Anne Simpson have won the Griffin Poetry prize. The Archive also includes entries on unsung, yet deserving poets. The editors of the ACPA have made it their goal to celebrate each poet individually and the genre of Atlantic Canadian poetry.
Although the ACPA has many entries, it does not represent the entirety of Atlantic Canadian poets. The poets featured on this archive are selected by undergraduate scholars, whether out of personal interest or because a poet's work was studied in class. As such, we have composed an extensive compendium of Atlantic Canadian poets yet to be written on as a resource for future students and ACPA submissions. Please consult our Resources page for this list and other helpful tools.
This Archive represents a big step toward raising awareness of the talented writers in this great backyard. While our work is based out of St. Thomas University in Fredericton, NB, we accept submissions from all across Atlantic Canada. We seek to provide a venue for scholarly voices and we wish to extend this conversation.
Managing Editors
Atlantic Canadian Poets’ Archive
St. Thomas University, Fredericton, NB
Many of the poets featured on this archive have received major regional and national awards: Don Domanski, Lesley Choyce, Sue Goyette, John Steffler, Tonja Gunvaldsen-Klaassen, and Susan Paddon have all won the J.M. Abrahams award (formerly the Atlantic Poetry Prize); Don McKay is the two-time winner of the Governor General’s Poetry Award, along with previous winners Al Purdy, George Elliott Clarke, and nominees Tammy Armstrong and Lynn Davies; both McKay and Anne Simpson have won the Griffin Poetry prize. The Archive also includes entries on unsung, yet deserving poets. The editors of the ACPA have made it their goal to celebrate each poet individually and the genre of Atlantic Canadian poetry.
Although the ACPA has many entries, it does not represent the entirety of Atlantic Canadian poets. The poets featured on this archive are selected by undergraduate scholars, whether out of personal interest or because a poet's work was studied in class. As such, we have composed an extensive compendium of Atlantic Canadian poets yet to be written on as a resource for future students and ACPA submissions. Please consult our Resources page for this list and other helpful tools.
This Archive represents a big step toward raising awareness of the talented writers in this great backyard. While our work is based out of St. Thomas University in Fredericton, NB, we accept submissions from all across Atlantic Canada. We seek to provide a venue for scholarly voices and we wish to extend this conversation.
Managing Editors
Atlantic Canadian Poets’ Archive
St. Thomas University, Fredericton, NB
Contact Us
Thank you!
The creation of the Atlantic Canadian Poets Archive would not have been possible without financial contribution from the Canada Summer Jobs Grant. This anthology was created and maintained by St. Thomas University’s English Department, with Elizabeth Pellerin and Renelle Dion serving as Managing Editors for 2022-23. The project is overseen by English professor, Dr. Kathleen McConnell.
Thank you to our previous editors Madi Nadeau, Caelin Sullivan, Jamie Kitts, Lisa Banks, Nick Geldart, Monica Grasse, Allyson Groves, Patrick O’Reilly, Kathleen Pond, and Mallory Ross for their dedicated work in editing and publishing entries, creating their own submissions, and maintaining a flawless website. The ACPA would not be what it is without you.
We are thankful to those who submitted their scholarly work to be included in this anthology.
Additional thanks to Dr. Elizabeth McKim, the 2010-11 “Atlantic Canadian Women Poets” Honours Seminar class (Allyson Groves, Lisa Banks, Meghan Loch, Laura Noble, Michelle MacNeil, Ben Savoie, Lexi Whitman, Victoria Embree, and Katelyn Price), the 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2019 "Advanced Poetry Workshop" classes, and Dr. Kathleen McConnell’s 2014-15 “Contemporary Atlantic Canadian Poetry” Honours Seminar class (Ben Lord, Sharisse LeBrun, Molly Strickland, and Monica Grasse) at St. Thomas University for their contributions to the production of this archive.
Thank you to the poets who allowed their work to be included in this anthology – without you, we would not have been introduced to your talented work, and would not have found our passion for sharing your deserving work.
Many thanks to Jeffrey Carleton (Director of Communications, St. Thomas University) for his help and support with this endeavor. Thank you to Jacqueline Cormier (Communications Officer, St. Thomas University) for our stunning cover photos.
Thank you to our previous editors Madi Nadeau, Caelin Sullivan, Jamie Kitts, Lisa Banks, Nick Geldart, Monica Grasse, Allyson Groves, Patrick O’Reilly, Kathleen Pond, and Mallory Ross for their dedicated work in editing and publishing entries, creating their own submissions, and maintaining a flawless website. The ACPA would not be what it is without you.
We are thankful to those who submitted their scholarly work to be included in this anthology.
Additional thanks to Dr. Elizabeth McKim, the 2010-11 “Atlantic Canadian Women Poets” Honours Seminar class (Allyson Groves, Lisa Banks, Meghan Loch, Laura Noble, Michelle MacNeil, Ben Savoie, Lexi Whitman, Victoria Embree, and Katelyn Price), the 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2019 "Advanced Poetry Workshop" classes, and Dr. Kathleen McConnell’s 2014-15 “Contemporary Atlantic Canadian Poetry” Honours Seminar class (Ben Lord, Sharisse LeBrun, Molly Strickland, and Monica Grasse) at St. Thomas University for their contributions to the production of this archive.
Thank you to the poets who allowed their work to be included in this anthology – without you, we would not have been introduced to your talented work, and would not have found our passion for sharing your deserving work.
Many thanks to Jeffrey Carleton (Director of Communications, St. Thomas University) for his help and support with this endeavor. Thank you to Jacqueline Cormier (Communications Officer, St. Thomas University) for our stunning cover photos.