Who is Charles Sangster

Charles Sangster (July 16, 1822 – December 9, 1893) was a Canadian poet. He was the first poet to write poetry which was substantially about Canadian subjects. The Dictionary of Canadian Biography calls him "the best of the pre-confederation poets."

Life

Sangster was born at the Navy Yard on Point Frederick (now the site of Royal Military College of Canada), near Kingston, Ontario, the son of Ann Ross and James Sangster. A twin sister died in infancy. His father, a "joiner" or shipbuilder who worked for the British Navy around the Great Lakes, died at Penetanguishene just before Charles turned 2. His mother raised Charles and his 4 siblings on her own.Sangster was an indifferent student, and showed little interest in the school curriculum. At 15 years old, he le...
Read Full Biography of Charles Sangster


Charles Sangster Poems

  • Sonnet: - Iii
    Oh, holy sabbath morn! thrice blessed day
    Of solemn rest, true peace, and earnest prayer.
    How many hearts that never knelt to pray
    Are glad to breathe thy soul-sustaining air. ...
  • Love And Truth
    Young Love sat in a rosy bower,
    Towards the close of a summer day;
    At the evening's dusky hour,
    Truth bent her blessed steps that way; ...
  • The Plains Of Abraham
    I stood upon the Plain,
    That had trembled when the slain,
    Hurled their proud, defiant curses at the battle-heated foe,
    When the steed dashed right and left, ...
  • Sonnet: - Xix
    How my heart yearns towards my friends at home!
    Poor suffering souls, whose lives are like the trees,
    Bent, crushed, and broken in the storm of life!
    A whirlwind of existence seems to roam ...
  • The Unattainable
    I yearn for the Unattainable;
    For a glimpse of a brighter day,
    When hatred and strife,
    With their legions rife, ...
Read All Poems


Top 10 most used topics by Charles Sangster

Soul 38 Sweet 36 Spirit 26 Thought 24 Human 23 True 22 Deep 19 Great 18 Long 18 Mind 17


Charles Sangster Quotes

Read All Quotes


Comments about Charles Sangster

Read All Comments


Write your comment about Charles Sangster


Poem of the day

Ernest Dowson Poem
The Sea-Change
 by Ernest Dowson

Where river and ocean meet in a great tempestuous
frown,
Beyond the bar, where on the dunes the white-
capped rollers break;
Above, one windmill stands forlorn on the arid,
grassy down:
I will set my sail on a stormy day and cross the
bar and seek
...

Read complete poem

Popular Poets