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                                                                       Influences on My Writing and Editing  
 
Daphne Marlatt, with her first husband, G. Alan Marlatt (1941-2011, were close friends with my first wife, Bonnie (née Lewis) and me between 1963 and 1967, first in Vancouver as undergrads at the University of British Columbia, and then in Bloomington, as grad students at Indiana University. Daphne was already an accomplished poet during those years and her intensity about writing and observing the world made a huge impression that I only recognized later as a major influence in my decision to become a poet. 

Tom Arnett (1935-2008) was my poetry workshop instructor at Toronto's Three Schools of Art in the summer of 1968.  He taught me how to love and respect poetry's various forms,  and how to criticize my own work objectively.

Sean O'huigin was a leader of the avante garde in Toronto. In 1969, he persuaded the mayor at the time, Phil Givens, to officially proclaim March as poetry month. To commemorate the occasion,  Sean persuaded a number of poets to do public poetry projects that would get media attention and I did one that turned out to be inexplicably successful (see "Experimental Poetry"on this site). Sean now lives in Ireland.

Fred Cogswell ( 1917-2004),  publisher of Fredericton's Fiddlehead Poetry Books, selected the poems for my first book-length collection of poetry, Tell-Tale Feathers (1978) and a year later did the same for my haiku collection, A Snowman, Headless.    

Ted Plantos (1943-2001).  Ted was a fellow-member of Tom Arnett's workshop at the Three Schools of Art (see above). Apart from creating his own impressive body of work, Ted promoted poetry readings and started several periodicals. For eight years, I performed several editorial roles for the most successful of the magazines, Writers' Quarterly.  Not enough can be said about Ted's commitment to poets and their poetry.

Susan Iaunnou was the associate editor for most of the periodicals started by Ted Plantos. Meticulous and scrupulous, Susan was a role model for my work as an editor.  Today, as a noted poet, she mentors upcoming writers.

Wence Horak, publisher of Toronto's Three Trees Press,  brought out  14 of my books, including my first collection of haiku, Endless Jigsaw (1978), the landmark Canadian Haiku Anthology (1979) and five of my award-winning books of poetry for children. Wence now lives in Kelowna, B.C.

John Curry, internationally-known "underground" poet, was the catalyst for my ventures into experimental poetry and published many pieces in his various and unique publications.  We also collaborated on a collection, Where Even The Factories Have Lawns  (Gesture Press, 1988).

Matt Cohen (1942-1999), a novelist of international repute, and I played tennis together for years and, after each match, had cathartic discussions about writing and life over pints of beer. 

Randy Brooks, professor of English literature at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, and long-time publisher of haiku periodicals and books, has brought out three of my collections, including Almost Unseen: Selected Haiku of George Swede (Brooks Books, 2000), which he brilliantly edited.

Anita Krumins, my spouse, has for almost four decades edited some of my poetry and all of my prose and helped to focus my attention on what is important in life.

My two sons -- Dr. Andris Krumins (a physics teacher at Nelson High School in Oakville, Ontario and also bass guitarist for the Hamilton-based rock band, Black Tea), and Juris Krumins (a lawyer as well as possessor of a mini-zoo at his home in Arlington, Virginia) -- continue to be sources of inspiration.


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