Charlie was born and raised in Edmonton
Alberta. He graduated with honours the University of Alberta then attended
Law School before joining the Alberta Department of Social Services and
Community Health in Human Resources followed by a stint as Labour Relations
advisor to the Alberta Attorney General.
In 1980, he started a 22 year career as a mediator for the government
settling labour disputes for the province. After leaving government, he
operated his own conflict resolution company worldwide and in 2001,ran for
City Council in Edmonton. Finally in 2002, he moved to Vancouver Island to
take up duties as the Manager of Labour Relations for the City of Nanaimo.
Charlie now
lives in the Harbour City of Nanaimo
near Brannen Lake. A self-described "pub poet" he divides his writing
time between The Black Bear Pub (conveniently
situated within walking distance of his house), ocean parks and Pacific
Northwest beaches.
He describes poetry as therapy and an opportunity to reconnect himself to the
world outside of work.
Lines from "Poet at Seventy”
“You sit
in taverns drinking wine,
Pleased by
the hubbub and din,
Voices
grow loud then decline
As if
played out by a machine
And you
accept your quarantine.”
by Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz
Charlie enjoys collecting old blues and
jazz records and books,
photography, cooking and riding
his V Twin Roadstar along the old Oceanside Highway.
His work has been published on line by Leaf Press
and the City of Nanaimo's "Let's Connect" newsletter. He is currently finishing
(and after 3 years he should be getting close) a book of Poetry entitled "Poems
From the Point".
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