Vigil Poems

This compilation of three of his books is a fine introduction to this emotional poet to English-speaking readers. Kindled by the death of his mother and his partner, Micheline LaFrance, Royer has set out to delve in poetic verse a world that seems to be fading away. References are made to writers that have influenced the poet, while he explores in short-lined verse about state of wakefulness for which death is responsible. There is also a sense of vigil, of watch, of alert in these precise and simple words. An elder speaks to the young. It is with honour that I will tackle the translation of these moving poems that form the latest work of one of the last of a generation of poets that have passed away in the last decade.

Born in 1938, Jean Royer served as literary critic at the Devoir between 1971 and 1982. He also took over Les editions de l'Hexagone after the death of Gaston Miron. Royer was the president of the Academie des lettres du Quebec from 1998 to 2004. His archives can be found at the Bibliotheque et Archives nationale du Quebec. In 2014, he won the Prix Athanase-David, the most prestigious award given to writers in Quebec. A selection of essays translated by Daniel Sloate was published by Guernica Editions in 1996.Poet, novelist, essayist, translator, Antonio D'Alfonso won the Trillium Award, the Bressani Award, and the New York Independent Film Award for his film, Bruco. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. In 2016, he received a Honorary Doctorate from Athabasca University.