In Memoriam. Maxine Tynes 1949-2011

Sad news this week. Poet and teacher, Maxine Tynes has passed away at age 62.

Although Tynes grew up in a large family she was always encouraged to stand out and do important things. And so she did with a long and successful teaching career, her poetry and her appointment as this first African Nova Scotian on the Dalhousie Board of Governors. She wrote about her life as an African Nova Scotian woman. Her poetry was specific to her life and experience, and still spoke to her readers with comfortable familiarity. In her words, "A writer is only one facet of my being. I am conscious of the many voices and influences and involvements which make up the sum total of who I am. Therefore the writer's voice and image which I project is a multi-faceted one. My poetry and all of my writing is true reflection of who I am: a Black woman writer whose voice is essentially feminist, and who is always looking at and amplifying who I am." (Chronicle Herald March 7 1991).

At the library we are reminded of her daily with the Maxine Tynes Room named in her honour at the Alderney Gate Library.

Maxine Tynes published works included Borrowed Beauty, The Door of My Heart, and Woman Talking to Women and the children's book Save the World for Me. She was awarded the Milton Acorn People's Poet Award in 1988.

Her obituary was in this week's Chronicle Herald.