Poet Mia Anderson on belonging to a tradition of Anglican priest-poets, gardening as inspiration for poetry, and her new book
There’s a long tradition of Anglican priests who are poets. How do you see your work in relation to that?
Like eddies. The big ships have gone before, but I try to paddle to the sea too, in my wee canoe. A privilege. A fact. People would say, “Ah, a parish priest. You must have found your theatrical training useful for your sermons?” Actually I found writing poetry more relevant – though, true, I once delivered a poem for a sermon, and I assure you someone said, “What? I didn’t understand a word.”
And you’re a gardener. Would you say that comes through in your poetry?
Your question is wildly appropriate – think of the rewilding movement. A garden for me is finding that balance between the wild and the domesticated. Eden is an increasingly pivotal – the archetypal garden, gift and responsibility. I’m an environmental catastrophist, you might say. I write to leave no stone unturned.
Can you please introduce your new book?
A Christmas book, but accessible to nonpractitioners, many of whom celebrate Christmas. I’m also a political nerd, so the middle section, “The House of Advent A.D. 2019,” (based on those calendars whose little doors you open) runs the gamut from impeachment hearings to tweets, carols and barn animal know-how. Section 1 is a riff on the O Antiphons, and section 3, a metaphysical lark based on Good King Wenceslas.
Mia Anderson of Portneuf, Que., is an award-winning poet, erstwhile actor, shepherd, translator and Anglican priest originally from Toronto. Her new book is O Is for Christmas: A Midwinter Night’s Dream (St. Thomas Poetry Series).