This volume investigates the evolution of Canadian poetic identity by examining the works and influences of major poets from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. The authors, Bryan N. S. Gooch and Maureen Niwa, provide a structured analysis of how Canadian verse transitioned from colonial imitation to a distinct national voice. By focusing on key figures such as Isabella Valancy Crawford and E.J. Pratt, the text establishes a framework for understanding the thematic and stylistic shifts that defined the Canadian literary landscape during this formative era.

Scholars and students of Canadian literature frequently cite this work as a useful reference for understanding the foundational figures of the national canon. The text is noted for its clear, academic approach to tracing the development of poetic traditions within a specific historical context.