Douglas Stewart (poet)
| Douglas Stewart | |
|---|---|
| Born |
6 May 1913 Eltham, Taranaki Province, New Zealand |
| Died | 14 February 1985 (aged 71) Sydney |
| Resting place | Frenchs Forest Cemetery |
| Occupation | Poet and literary editor |
| Known for | Poetry, Verse Plays, Literary criticism |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Coen, m. 1945 |
| Children | Meg |
Douglas Stewart AO OBE (6 May 1913 – 14 February 1985) was a major twentieth century Australian poet, as well as short story writer, essayist and literary editor. He published 13 collections of poetry, 5 verse plays, including the well-known Fire on the Snow, many short stories and critical essays, and biographies of Norman Lindsay and Kenneth Slessor. He also edited several poetry anthologies.
His greatest contribution to Australian literature came from his 20 years as literary editor of The Bulletin, his 10 years as a publishing editor with Angus & Robertson, and his lifetime support of Australian writers. Geoffrey Serle, literary critic, has described Stewart as "the greatest all-rounder of modern Australian literature".
Douglas Stewart was born in Eltham, Taranaki Province, New Zealand, to an Australian-born lawyer father. He attended primary school in his home town, and a high school thirty miles away, before studying at the University of Wellington. He began studying law there, but soon changed courses to major in writing and journalism.
As a young boy, Stewart fell in love with the New Zealand countryside. He roamed its valleys, rivers and mountains, often camping out and frequently indulging his love of fishing. This appreciation of the wonders of nature was to last throughout his lifetime, so that in 1938, when he moved to Australia, it is understandable that he also fell in love with the unique Australian bush. This he sought to capture in his poetry.
Stewart lived in Australia in 1933 for a short time, working as a free-lance journalist. He then returned to New Zealand where he continued to worked as a journalist, becoming editor of the Stratford Evening Post. In 1937, he travelled to England, employed as a pantry man on the "Doric Star". Once in England, however, he was unable to find work as a journalist, and so he worked for a short time as a barman at the "Churchill Arms" in Knightsbridge. He also met writers Edmund Blunden and John Cowper Powys He returned to Australia in 1938 and took up a position with The Bulletin.
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