Born in Vancouver, May 12, 1928, I grew up during the Depression years in my parents’ home at 33rd and Osler in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Because my father, who lost both legs above the knees in World War I, had overcome his disability to build a successful business as a commissioned agent for manufacturers of clothing items, we lived fairly comfortably.
My mother loved entertaining and developed many interesting friendships, including artists like Lawren Harris and his wife. My father, however, believed in the virtue of hard work as an essential component of maturity, and so I spent summer holidays working at ranching, forestry, and mining (both under and above ground). I got to know the great outdoors which few Canadians truly encounter. It was a precious gift, expressed in my poetry which I continued to write throughout my years at the University of British Columbia, during my career as a film writer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and others, and later as a teacher, first at the University of British Columbia and then the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
My three children are grown, my wife has passed on, I have found a new life partner and still poetry and prose remain an all-devouring passion which will continue until my last page is turned.
Oscar Donald Erickson