Niagara Falls Poetry Project

The Brock University UNESCO Sustainability poetry contest is now on - Niagara residents are eligible for this. https://brocku.ca/unesco-cha/sustainability-poetry-contest/

Just added a poem by Patrick T. Reardon highlighting the anticipation of seeing Niagara Falls. Thanks to Melanie at Silver Birch Press for pointing it out to me. http://niagarapoetry.ca/2021/01/31/reardon/

I have finally had the 1604 poem that first mentions Niagara Falls translated into English. Thanks to Jonathan Kaplansky for the translation. See it at http://niagarapoetry.ca/2021/01/28/kaplansky/

Looking at stats on the site. Usually they are stable, but sometimes they double or more on a day, & 1 or 2 pages lead the way. They jumped considerably yesterday, and leading the way were Keith Ellis' translation of Heredia's poem Niagara & the poems of the War of 1812 page. Sadly I rarely know why a jump happens. http://niagarapoetry.ca//niagara-1825-jose-maria-heredia-/

In 1816 Erieus (Adam Hood Burwell - "the pioneer poet of Upper Canada") wrote the poem "Journal of a Day’s Journey in Upper Canada in October, 1816" - a trip from Fort George to the Fort Erie area and describing Niagara Falls along the way. A fascinating piece of early Canadian poetry. http://niagarapoetry.ca/2021/01/15/burwell/

Very glad to see some of my War of 1812 poems posted on the Niagara Falls Poetry Project page. Special thanks to Andrew Waldie Porteus for making it so. Have a look at www.niagarapoetry.ca

Just added a poem by Lt. Col. Wilkinson about the Battle of Queenston Heights to the site. It's included also on the page listing poems about the War Of 1812 in Niagara http://niagarapoetry.ca/sample-page/poems-1812/

In 1871 John R. Barlow wrote a book length poem called "John’s Trip, or a Visit to Niagara. A Serio-Comic Poem in Four Cantos." John, from Rhode Island, first visits New York City and then goes on by boat and train to Niagara Falls. John describes his romantic encounters along the way and at the falls. He is impressed with the natural beauty of the falls, but not with the hucksters, shysters, and swindlers that he encounters on the way (he does meet at least one honest person too). At 96 pages the poem is too long to put on the site itself, but a link to a scanned copy is available. John’s Trip, or a Visit to Niagara. A Serio-Comic Poem in Four Cantos http://niagarapoetry.ca/2020/10/27/john/

I recently added a poem by Dan O'Brien called "The War Reporter Paul Watson Takes Some Afghans to Niagara" at http://niagarapoetry.ca/2020/09/24/dan/ Have a look, leave a comment, and subscribe on the website for automatic notifications

During the 1837-38 Mackenzie Rebellion, Mackenzie and his followers took over Navy Island as their base. Supplies were brought over from America on the streamer Caroline. During the night of December 29, 1837, a British contingent captured the Caroline, set it ablaze, and sent it over the Falls. Susanna Moodie wrote a poem about it, published in her book "Roughing it in the Bush." Read the poem here http://niagarapoetry.ca/2020/09/20/moodie/ and read more about the Caroline incident on the Niagara Falls Museums website https://niagarafallsmuseums.ca/di/burningofthecaroline.aspx