The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1967, Page 78

76
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Slimmer 1967
trees” show us the way’.
This verse from Kolbeinslag is not
included here because of its high liter-
ary merit; rather it is an interesting
example of metaphorical use where
trail blazing in Canada is neatly link-
ed with the poet’s search back into the
literary history of Iceland. It shows us
clearly how perfectly Stephan G.
Stephansson had adapted himself to
the difficult role of an Icelandic Can-
adian.
The Poet of the Rocky Mountains
was a hard working farmer all his life.
It is therefore difficult to explain how
he managed to find time to write six
volumes of his Andvokur (Reykjavik
and Winnipeg, 1909-1938). Not less
surprising is the posthumous four-
volume edition of his Bref og ritgerffir
(‘Letters and Essays’, Reykjavik 1938-
1948). As is implied in the name And-
vokur which means ‘restless or sleep-
less nights’ and in several poems and
letters, Stephansson had to pursue his
literary career at night after others
had gone to bed. His own creative work
can only be equated with the super-
human accomplishments recounted in
some of his poems. The late Professor
F. Stanton Cawley called Stephansson
‘‘The Greatest Poet of the Western
World” (cf. Scandinavian Studies and
Notes XV 1938, 99-109). A professor of
literature at the University of Toronto
has referred to him as “probably the
most extraordinary “common man”
who ever made Canada his home.” (H.
Milnes: New Frontiers (Fall, 1953, 7).
Stephan G. Stephansson never spoke
of his own greatness, but expressed in-
stead the modest belief that the best
traits which he had recognized in him-
self would survive him (1, 213). We
know for certain that his literary works
have survived their author and that
an ever increasing number of people
will wish to acquaint themselves with
their content. The language in which
they were written will pose a problem
for many, but their wholesome view
of humanity defies the limitation of
both language and geography.
For detailed information on Stephansson’s works the reader is referred to Dr. Richard
Beck’s History of Icelandic Poets 1800-1940, Cornell University Press 1950, 201-210.