Fred Cogswell
Fred Cogswell was a prominent Canadian poet and professor whose life and work were deeply rooted in New Brunswick, Canada. He spent most of his eighty-six years in the region, contributing significantly to its literary landscape. Cogswell earned a Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh and dedicated over thirty years to teaching English at the University of New Brunswick. He was instrumental in fostering a vibrant creative writing community, notably through his role as editor of The Fiddlehead, a literary magazine he helped establish in the early 1950s. This magazine not only provided a platform for emerging writers but also influenced literary endeavors across Canada. Cogswell's poetry, including the acclaimed "Light Bird of Life: Selected Poems," earned him notable recognition, including the Order of Canada and the Alden Nowlan Award for Excellence in 1995. His legacy continues to resonate within Canadian literature, reflecting a commitment to cultural exchange and mentorship until his passing in 2004.
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Subject Terms
Fred Cogswell
Writer
- Born: November 8, 1917
- Birthplace: East Centreville, New Brunswick, Canada
- Died: June 20, 2004
- Place of death: New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Biography
A product of maritime Canada, Fred Cogswell spent most of his eighty-six years in New Brunswick. His education (except for a Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh) and his work were centered on Canada’s rugged Atlantic coast. For more than thirty years, he served as professor of English at the University of New Brunswick, and he wrote award-winning poetry, mentored innumerable young writers, helped found and maintain a highly respected press and literary magazine, and nurtured cultural exchange with other leading Canadian poets for more than a generation. The Fiddlehead, created in the early 1950’s, provided a new kind of environment for creative writing in Canada. Its press and various lines of publication, which included Fiddlehead Poetry Books, set the pace for similar endeavors in the subsequent years in other parts of the country. Cogswell served as editor of the magazine from 1952 to 1966, and today it remains among Canada’s most highly cherished literary institutions. A highlight of Cogswell’s career was the 1974 publication of Light Bird of Life: Selected Poems. For his many accomplishments he received the Order of Canada medal and the Alden Nowlan Award for Excellence in 1995. Cogswell died on the last day of spring in his beloved New Brunswick in 2004.