1941–1987
Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Section 32 Lot 1237
Born in Toronto on September 1, 1941, Gwendolyn Margaret MacEwen grew up in the High Park neighbourhood. Her mother, Elsie, spent much of her life in mental health institutions, while her father, Alick, battled alcoholism. These early experiences shaped a writer whose work will forever echo the themes of isolation, wonder and transformation.
MacEwen was largely self-taught, leaving school at 18 to pursue literature. By then, she had already published her first poem in The Canadian Forum and completed her debut novel, Julian the Magician. Her early poetry collection, The Drunken Clock (1961), marked the beginning of a prolific career spanning more than 20 books, including poetry, novels, plays and translations.
Her writing was infused with mysticism, drawing on her fascination with Gnosticism, ancient Egypt and esoteric traditions. Works like The Shadow Maker (1969), which earned her the Governor General’s Award and Afterworlds (1987), which won the same prize posthumously, cemented her reputation as one of Canada’s most original literary voices. She also wrote acclaimed radio dramas for the CBC, such as Terror and Erebus, and translated Greek poetry with her second husband, musician Niko Tsingos.
Despite her success, MacEwen’s life was marked by turbulence. Her marriage to poet Milton Acorn ended in divorce, and her later years were shadowed by health struggles linked to alcoholism. On November 29, 1987, at just 46 years old, she died in Toronto, leaving behind a body of work that continues to inspire readers and scholars.
Today, Gwendolyn MacEwen rests in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Her modest headstone quietly marks the grave of a writer whose words shimmer with magic and mystery, a poet who taught herself languages, explored the depths of myth and gave voice to the silent.
Sources:
• Wikipedia – Gwendolyn MacEwen
• The Canadian Encyclopedia – Gwendolyn MacEwen
• Arc Poetry Magazine – Essays on Gwendolyn MacEwen
Photo: Author: Don Grant 1962/01/17
