Sunday, April 21, 2013
Atlantic Nocturne by J. Frank Willis (1908-1969)
Atlantic Nocturne
When the grey of the night creeps out of the east
And the salt of the sea smells cold,
And away in the west the evening has died
With a last brief gift of gold —
Then the rolling long-shore hills stretch out,
In an arabesque of blue
And the soft friendly glow of candlelight
In the cottages calls to you
To come and dream — to forget the day
And its cares — and the murm'ring tide
Will take you adventuring down the world
In your chair by the fireside,
Or bring to you with its mist of night,
The mood for quiet thought,
Or sing to you with its low soft voice
A tune that you'd almost forgot.
For there is a verse, or a melody,
Or a thought for everyone
In the Nocturne the old Atlantic sings
To the shore when day is done.
by J. Frank Willis (1908-1969)
The connections of this poem to Prince Edward Island are more personal but because it is not available on the Internet - thought this might be a spot to place a copy and tell the story behind it.
Frank Willis began his career as a Canadian broadcaster in Halifax, N.S. in 1925 and hosted an evening hour of poetry reading to organ music, initially called Harbour Lights and later Atlantic Nocturne. In 1936, when the Moose River mine disaster occurred, trapping individuals in an abandoned mine 100 kilometres east of Halifax - Willis brought live broadcasting from an emergency to the CBC airwaves - his broadcasts of the rescue over 69 hours set a new place for radio in keeping Canadians connected to unfolding stories of significance. His career eventually took him to Toronto and he remained on the airwaves until 1963.
Atlantic Nocturne, was a signature piece of poetry J. Frank Willis wrote and read on the airwaves. It impressed another broadcaster, Bob Large of CFCY Charlottetown and he kept a printed copy of the poem in his home. At the funeral of Bob Large in 2009, longtime broadcaster Eric MacEwen read Atlantic Nocturne. Poetry is not often heard on radio - except on the weekly syndicated Eric MacEwen Show - thus it was a fitting tribute to another era when the roots of Canadian broadcasting were first being established.
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12 comments:
I'd like to hear a recording of Frank Willis reading "Nocturne". I read that he opened the programme with the poem. "As music builds a bright, impermanent tower High in the sunlight, Wild with birds and flowers So this chosen hour will wake you So these chiming words will wake you Briefly from the world." There are another two stanzas.
Bob Paine wthtamfm@yahoo.com
Here is the whole of "Nocturne", an evocative poem of beauty and power which he read nightly on his programme of the same name. It should be included in collections of Canadian verse. I was a regular listener,-- I guess in my teens,-- and never failed to enjoy his beautiful rendition. I have always thought that the last stanza was evocative of this country. Bestr, Stephen Scott, Law Faculty, McGill University.
“Nocturne”, by J. Frank Willis
As music builds a bright impermanent tower
High in the sunlight,
Wild with birds and banners,
So this chosen hour will take you So these chiming words will wake you,‐‐
Briefly,‐‐ from the world.
Until the windy flags are furled,
The last page turned, the music ended,
Wander well attended
Through the gate and climb the stairs.
At the top, look down,‐‐ look down
And see my broad enchanted land,
Where south is love,‐‐
And death lies north,‐‐
And oceans on either hand. ‐
Thanks for posting the entire poem. Sorry it took several years to thank you.
Thanks. And no apology is needed. Your post prompts me to reread the poem, and enjoy it once more. I wish it could be better recognized and more widely published. Before posting the text, I had checked it with C.B.C. Radio archives to ensure accuracy. I wonder whether the poem was in fact written for the CBC.
I am pleased to have your printed copy here of the poem J. Frank Willis read at the beginning of his program "Nocturne." I listened to his program during the 1950's in Buffalo, New York, broadcast from CBL Toronto. I loved the program and listened to it regularly as J.Frank Willis was magnificent and the organist was outstanding, too. As an old time radio fan, I have been looking for at least a copy of this radio program for over a half century. Today I found one full broadcast of the program from a site, so wonderful that it was an emotional response for me. I truly appreciate the one program, but I really crave more broadcasts of this great program. Do you know if there are other tapes of this program? Thank you, Jack Coleman
Yours truly, Jack Coleman
Thank you so much for the post. I admire the poem and also think it is worthy of a wider audience. Jack Coleman
I really enjoyed reading your printing of the opening poem from Nocturne. I also finally found one broadcast of the program on a web site and am delighted to hear it again. I hope that more of Nocturne broadcasts can be made available. Jack Coleman
Many thanks for your note.
I had verified my recollection of the text of Willis’s poem years ago with CBC Archives, who corrected it slightly. Regrettably, the poem,-- and Willis himself,-- are not remembered as well as they should be.
I am not aware of any recordings of the programme, but CBC itself likely has kept at least some, and they might help you if contact CBC Archives.
Best,
Stephen Scott
Many thanks for your note.
I had verified my recollection of the text of Willis’s poem years ago with CBC Archives, who corrected it slightly. Regrettably, the poem,-- and Willis himself,-- are not remembered as well as they should be.
I am not aware of any recordings of the programme, but CBC itself likely has kept at least some, and they might help you if contact CBC Archives.
Best,
Stephen Scott
Many thanks for your note.
I had verified my recollection of the text of Willis’s poem years ago with CBC Archives, who corrected it slightly. Regrettably, the poem,-- and Willis himself,-- are not remembered as well as they should be.
I am not aware of any recordings of the programme, but CBC itself likely has kept at least some, and they might help you if contact CBC Archives.
Best,
Stephen Scott
Thanks. Willis' poem, and for that matter Willis himself, are not remembered as well as they should be. I had transcribed in from memory but checked with CBC Archives to ensure my accuracy, and Archives confirmed it with correction of a few words. I am not aware of any tapes of the programmes, but CBC Archives probably has at least some, and might help you if you approach them. Good luck
Hello my friends,
While working for The CBC in Toronto, I came across a Christmas Radio production called Christmas Nocturne with J. Frank Willis and original music by Morris Surdin. I believe it was originally recorded in 1948 but was also broadcast on Christmas night, 1968. I'm sure if you contact the CBC Radio Archives, you will be able to order a copy. I know it exists as I made a digital copy while working in the archive.
Well worth searching out as it was and is a beautiful production.
Best wishes,
Michael Williams michaelwilliamsstark@gmail.com
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