One wonders what drives a man
raised in White Horse, Yukon, who at the age of 19 owned and operated his own
arcade business, to some 15 years later begin a National Poetry Journal. Somehow
it just seems natural if the innovative, enthusiastic man’s name is Byron that
he should love poetry. When you get Byron Sheardown talking about Quills, the
new Canadian Poetry Journal he is publishing, you will see in his eyes and hear
in his voice that this not only has become his love and his passion but his life
and hopefully his legacy.
Sheardown has been working on the idea of
Quills for the past two years and beams when he begins to explain how the
concept evolved.
“I have been subscribing to an
American Poetry Journal named ‘Poetry’ which has been in existence for the past
ninety years and publishes the best of the best that are either famous or become
famous because of their craft. When I started looking around for something of a
Canadian equivalent I couldn’t find anything.” And so Quills was conceived.
Sheardown who at the age of 18
published a magazine of community events and has been involved in printing and
publishing ever since, understands better than most people the importance of
doing things right. He took the time he felt he needed
to think and contemplate where he wanted to go with Quills. Cultivating his
ideas, there came to be fluency to what he wanted to do. His ultimate aim is to
produce a journal that will have the kind of quality of work that he sees in his
American counterpart, the major difference being that this is strictly Canadian.
“I don’t want this to be seen as a
strictly West Coast publication. I want it to be truly Canadian.”
With this in mind Sheardown is assembling
an editorial board from across the country. As well, there will be poetry book
reviews, the first publication consisting of six or seven; one from the east,
one from the west and one from mid-Canada. While there will be no interviews in
future editions of Quills, this one will feature an interview with
Canada’s first
Poet Laureate George Bowering.
Another of Sheardown’s ambitious goals is
to showcase up and coming writers; to give them a chance.
“I know that there is a lot of high quality
writing out there and I want to give it a place to be seen. The possibility of
helping emerging writers coming out of University to launch their careers
through Quills is exciting.”
Sheardown had his own influences and
help with his writing when he first started out. While he admits his interest in
poetry was at first to attract girls, he quickly came to believe that poetry was
one of the greatest art forms.
“One of the big influences for me
was the movie ‘The Dead Poet Society’. Hearing the words which can stir
laughter, make you cry or enrage you, deepens the soul.”
He also had a mentor to guide
him. Yukon Poet, P.J. Johnson helped him with his craft, reviewing it and
encouraging him. Sheardown began to understand the need to let his work sit on
the backburner and then to come back to it in order to finish it.
Being in publishing Sheardown knows how
important this is. He has seen so many publications fail over the years. He sees
the importance of finding a niche market. In
Whitehorse he learned a lot.
“An Ad agency lady told me, if you are not
something to someone you are nothing to no one.” And while she is dead now, her
words still carry weight. Sheardown is focusing on his love and hoping that it
will be a success. There seems to be a lot of backing. While the odd person has
told him that a poetry magazine won’t fly he has had responses for his call for
submissions and editors from all over the country, some attaching notes of
excitement and encouragement to their enquiries. And he has had his first
subscription.
While there may be doubt in some people’s
minds about the ability of a Canadian Poetry Journal to succeed, this man who at
18 took on Whitehorse
City Hall to open the then outlawed
arcades, is sure to change to their minds.
Sheardown maybe starting Quills
in part for selfish reasons. He admits he gets a high from a great poem and he
is receiving a lot of them, yet his major goal really is to expose Canadians to
great Canadian Poetry. If Quills does outlive him, it is because Canadians
everywhere support him in his dream of creating a special place for Canadian
poetry in our lives and history.
To submit to Quills or to
purchase a subscription please go to:
http://www.quillspoetry.com
