Poetry Friday: A Mighty Oak Among Poets

When the Eichorn clan emigrated from Germany many years ago, they settled in Prince Edward Island. Some among them changed their name to Acorn (eichorn is the German word for “acorn”). A smallish number moved south to the United States. Many settled in PEI and in the eastern parts of Canada.

Milton James Rhode Acorn was born March 30, 1923, in Charlottetown, PEI. He became known both as Canada’s national poet and “the people’s poet.” He died on August 20, 1986.

I did not know Milton Acorn, and I have no idea what genealogical heritage we may share. But, I love knowing that one of the greatest poets in the history of Canada was an Acorn!


Live With Me On Earth Under the Invisible Daylight Moon
by Milton Acorn

Live with me on Earth among red berries and the bluebirds
And leafy young twigs whispering
Within such little spaces, between such floors of green, such figures in the clouds
That two of us could fill our lives with delicate wanting:
Where stars past the spruce copse mingle with fireflies
Or the dayscape flings a thousand tones of light back at the sun -
Be any one of the colours of an Earth lover;
Walk with me and sometimes cover your shadow with mine.

From Dig Up My Heart: Selected Poems 1952-83, McClelland and Stewart.

Thanks to Hip Writer Mama for hosting this week's Poetry Friday!