Alan Frew - So Blind - Doug Montgomery

It is amazing to me that in the past two weeks, in talking to possible contributors for Art for Art, how many new creative projects have blossomed and how many new artists I have heard of, and from such a variety of genres. What started out as an ambitious school project has turned into an arena for my own education in Canadian music.

Doug Montgomery chose Alan Frew's song "So Blind" as the focus of his contribution. My initial reaction was "who?" and "what?". Turns out Alan Frew is a pretty big deal in Canada. He's originally Scottish but moved to Ontario and made Canada his home. He is a five-time Juno winner, five-time Canadian Classic Award winner and has been nominated for a Grammy (read big deal in Canada). Frew is still active in the Canadian music industry and even co-wrote the theme song of CTV's Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. He continues to perform across Canada and works extensively in raising funds and promoting the efforts of the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces. Doug took "So Blind" and offered a poem to A4A. Here is what Doug has to say:

Alan Frew came to fame in the 1980s as lead singer for the Canadian band Glass Tiger. I heard this song while I was 'lingering in torment', and the subtextual bitterness of the song struck me as kindred to my own. The song "So Blind" is from his 1999 solo album, Hold me. I wrote this poem after one of those failed romances that happen every so often. Irrational and youthful as my feelings were at the time, they overwhelmed me with bitterness, anger, you know, the good stuff. The title alludes to Homer's Odyssey and Spencer's The Faerie Queene, in which heroes must navigate the treacherous stretch of sea near the lair of a devouring sea demon. Repetition indicates the helpless vortex of my thoughts at the time, while the imagery is intended to convey vestigial affection.

Here is "So Blind":

Doug Montgomery was born on Prince Edward Island in 1984 (a year after Glass Tiger was formed!!!). He is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Literature at the University of Calgary and previously taught English as a Second Language in Japan. In what little free time he has, he enjoys jogging, traveling, and terrible music like ABBA (I also saw Boney M on his iTunes the other day...sorry Doug).

Here is Doug's poem, titled Scylla:

I'm always searching, searching
searching through my dreams.
Always walking walking
walking to the sea...

I find you there, I find you there,
'with emeralds woven in your hair',
your heart is in your hands--
My fists beating on the sands.

Sometimes you're smiling, smiling,
smiling as you sing,
the dying words of my lost life:
I'll say them now My Dear--

You may have come from long ago,

you may have won me had you known,

the words to please me, raise me high,

Higher than your wings may fly:

Content yourself with victory,

this Happiness I lend.

I'll call you my dear friend.


See more on Doug at the contributors page.
Learn more about Alan Frew here.