Wilfred Campbell

Born in Ontario in 1860, William Wilfred Campbell became a poet, novelist, essayist, Anglican clergyman, and later a civil servant in Ottawa. He is usually grouped with the Confederation Poets, alongside writers such as Charles G. D. Roberts, Bliss Carman, Archibald Lampman, and Duncan Campbell Scott.

Campbell is best known for poems that celebrate Canadian scenery, especially the woods, lakes, and shorelines he knew well. Lake Lyrics and Other Poems is often singled out among his most remembered books, and his writing is noted for its romantic, musical style and its deep interest in the natural world.

Although his reputation has shifted over time, he remains an important figure in the story of early Canadian literature. He died on January 1, 1918, near Ottawa, leaving behind a body of work that still reflects an early effort to imagine a distinct Canadian voice in poetry.