The Day-Breakers

"It is not wise to waste the life / Against a stubborn will. / Yet would we die as some have done. / Beating a way for the rising sun wrote Arna Bontemps. In The Day-Breakers, poet Michael Fraser imagines the selflessness of Black soldiers who fought for the Union during the American Civil War, of whom hundreds were African-Canadian, fighting for the freedom of their brethren and the dawning of a new day. Brilliantly capturing the rhythms of their voices and the era in which they lived and fought, Fraser's The Day-Breakers is an homage to their sacrifice and an unforgettable act of reclamation: the restoration of a language, and a powerful new perspective on Black history and experience. (From Biblioasis)

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Michael Fraser is an award-winning poet and writer. He has been published in several anthologies and his books include To Greet Yourself Arriving and The Serenity of Stone. His poem African Canadian in Union Blue won the 2016 CBC Poetry Prize.

Interviews with Michael Fraser

CBC Books3:47Michael Fraser reads "African Canadian in Union Blue"

Michael Fraser reads "African Canadian in Union Blue"

Radio Active8:24Former Edmontonian Michael Fraser wins 2016 CBC Poetry Prize

Michael Fraser's winning entry "African Canadian in Union Blue" tells the story of a little-known piece of Canadian history. In it, an African Canadian heads south to fight in the American Civil War only to be confronted by horrid conditions and racism

CBC Books6:52Michael Fraser on Metro Morning

Michael Fraser on Metro Morning